Xana's Ally
by rockgoddess87
Summary: A new girl comes to Lyoko with a deep dark secret. Can she reveal it in time for the gang to save her? Y&U O&OC OC&OC J&A U&OC and lots of interesting own characters.
1. The Beginning

Ok so this is my first ever fanfiction, so all flames will be used to light fireworks or sparklers. This chapter involves field hockey, abused math books, and karate flipping people. The character Serenity is based on me and the character Demi is based on my best friend, Haley.

I would like to dedicate this entire story to my editors Haley, Yutaro, Justin, and occasionally Teresa.

The chapter itself however is dedicated to Marta because of the duct tape.

DISCLAIMER: Yes! I've made a million dollars in the lottery! I've bought Code Lyoko and am in the process of making this into a Code Lyoko movie…(wakes up from dream)…aww…(bangs head on pillow). On the other hand I own the many made up characters in this story and the plot so if you want to use them I would appreciate if you asked first.

...

It was a cool crisp day in September, the second week of school at Kadic Jr. High. Four friends sat on benches on the side of the field lazily watching the field hockey game before them where the home team was up by 3. The challenging team had the ball and was dribbling it up the field. The offensive girl shot the ball into the upper right corner of the net and the goalie leaped up diagonally to the right and whacked the ball outside the circle with the tips of her fingers. A couple seconds later she saved another shot by doing a split. A few minutes later the final whistle blew announcing the end of the game. The final score was 5-0 home.

"Wow, that goalie is really good," said Odd looking down at the padded figure who was now surrounded by her teammates.

"Yes she's quite talented" Jeremy replied looking up from his laptop to peer across the field at her.

"Whoa! She's pretty!" exclaimed Odd as he watched her take off her helmet and shake her hair out of her eyes. Ulrich chuckled and elbowed Odd in the ribs. Jeremy just blushed a little and went back to typing.

Yumi finally looked up from her book to see who Odd was talking about and said, "oh yeah, she's the new girl in my grade but I only have like 3 classes with her though 'cause I think she takes mostly Advanced Placement classes."

"What's her name?" Odd asked eagerly.

"I don't know she keeps mostly with the field hockey players and her best friend Demi. See look," Yumi replied and pointed back to the field where the girl had just high-fived another girl with straight shoulder-length blonde hair.

"Mm-mm," said Odd lost in his own thoughts as he watched the two walk off the field together.

…...

'_Wow, I'm really getting good at this_, I thought as I saved another goal. The final whistle blew and the game was over._'Finally! I'm so tired, but at least we won_.'

"Hey Demi, great goal!" I said, as I high-fived my friend.

"Thanks! You did great too," said Demi a little breathless. "Come on, let's get out of here. I need a shower," Demi said as she walked away toward the girl's locker room.

…...

"Come on Demi, you promised." The brown haired girl said making a puppy face.

"Ok, ok," said Demi hurrying to pick up the boxes and bags filled with the other's stuff. "Man, what do you have in here," she commented lifting a large box.

"I have no idea. I was up late last night stuffing random stuff into boxes. I don't want to have to go back home for anything. My room at my uncle's house is basically empty now." The other squinted at the scribbled label on the box, trying to decipher what lay within.

"You crazy kid, that room is probably three times bigger than your dorm room here is."

Here I'll take it," the brown haired girl said quickly. "Whoa, you're right this is heavy," she said and loaded the final things up on her friend to carry to her dorm. They set off breathing a little heavy from the weight of the numerous boxes and bags they carried.

"I'm so glad we got dorms right next to each other," huffed the brown haired girl.

"Oof, I know, this is so cool," said Demi regaining her balance and fixing a tipping box.

"Oh god, that weird girl…um, Sissy is coming over here, she thinks we're friends or something," the brown haired girl said and quickened her pace. "You go and take my stuff to my room. Okay? I'll go get rid of her."

"'Alright," Demi said and staggered on, towards the domitory.

"Oh hey Serena" Sissy said stopping her fanclub a few feet from Serenity.

"Oh hi… Sissy isn't it? The principles daughter?"

"Yes, that's me. So I've got a proposition for you: since you're new and all, I thought you'd like to hang out with my group for a while."

"No thank you." Serenity declined coldly.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm quite certain. I'd rather drink poison, actually."

The two guys behind Sissy cracked their knuckles and moved forward. Serenity yawned, "well come on then." In two seconds both were on their back wincing having just been flipped. "Thanks gentlemen, this was fun. We should do it again some time," she said picking up her boxes and starting to walk away very fast since she only knew how to flip people. She looked back and saw that Sissy was yelling at the boys looking extremely grumpy.

Bang!

She walked into something solid and her boxes went flying. She lost her balance and fell backwards landing hard. "Ow!" She said this as she looked up to see what she had bumped into. '_Not what but whom.'_She thought as she looked at him.

He was wearing purple and had blonde hair with a purple spot in the middle. He looked at her and grinned.

She was wearing white hip hugger jeans and a red corset tube top with an unzipped white hooded jacket that was way too big for her on top. She had tied open toed heels on and a ruby toe ring. Looking at her more carefully he saw that she had a belly button ring in (a red stud), a red cartilage earring and silver hoops on.

He offered her his hand to help her up. She took it and hoisted herself up of the ground onto her feet. "I'm really sorry I bumped into you. Are you ok?" She said, collecting her things.

"Yeah," he said moving to help her. "Who were you running from anyway?

"Oh, that girl, Sissy and her followers. See I just karate flipped those horrible boys that follow her around and they looked kind of angry" She said.

"You flipped Herb and Nicolas?" he said and laughed. "I wish I was there to see that."

Their eyes caught for a moment, then she looked away. "Anyway, I'm really sorry I bumped into you, are you sure you're ok?" She said still looking at the ground.

"Yeah, it was my fault anyway…" he said grinning.

"How could it be your fault, you were just standing there, I bumped into you." She said laughing.

"Ok, it was your fault. I was just trying to make you feel less guilty. Hey, I haven't seen you around here before; you're new aren't you? You guys had a great game today," he said.

"Yup, I'm new. I think it kind of shows. My name's Serenity."

"I'm Odd." He said, taking her hand and shaking it.

"Christ, Demi's gonna kill me." She said glancing at her watch. "See you later Odd," she said. Then picked up her boxes and ran towards her dorm. Demi was waiting for her outside her dorm room, her boxes piled high against the wall.

"Where were you? I didn't have a key."

"Sorry, I lost track of time. I let Sissy down easy, and then I did my karate kung fu on her 'boyfriends'. I was running away because I, as you know, I only know flip people because I failed out of karate but I was looking backwards while I was running to see if they were following me and I ran straight into this guy. He apparently watched our game today and we introduced ourselves but then I remembered you were waiting for me so I left and came here.

"Who was it? A stalker?"

Serenity shrugged. "Maybe. I don't remember seeing him before so if he is a stalker then he's a really sneaky one. Let's go get dinner."

"Can't you give me more information than that? Tell me what he looked like!" Demi begged but Serenity was already out the door.

...

The two girls got their food and sat down with their trays in the corner of the lunchroom. "So tell me more "said Demi.

"Mmm" Serenity said her mouth full of food, motioning with her eyes across the room.

"Chew and swallow before you try to talk next time." Demi said then craning her neck to see better. "All of the people at that table look really young. Are you cradle robbing your stalkers these days?"

"Be quiet already."

"You don't need to be so touchy. I'm just kidding." Demi said punching her in the arm.

"Sorry, I'm just a bit tired." Serenity said brushing the bangs out of her eyes.

"That's ok. I know you love me." she continued "so what his name?"

"Odd" Serenity said turning back to her food.

"Sounds exotic."

"You're such a nerd."

After a while their talk turned to field hockey and then school.

"I hate math. We have a test tomorrow and I'm probably going to fail." groaned Serenity.

"It's ok. I'll help you study," said Demi grinning. She knew her friend could do as well as her if she tried at all but she put no effort into school and even less into math.

"Thanks a bunch. We can study in my room. I want you to hear the new demo we finished right before I left. My solo is crap but everybody else did really well" Serenity said brushing her bangs again.

"Ok'" Demi replied. They got up to dump their trays, leaving their bags behind.

"Christ," Demi said she picked up her bag and everything fell out of the unzippered pocket. Serenity knelt to help her but she said," No, you go on ahead."

"Are you sure?" Serenity asked her, picking up her own bag.

"Yeah, go, I'll see you in a couple minutes. I'll meet you in your room." Demi said waving her away.

"Ok."

Demi packed her stuff very slowly on purpose, just as she had spilled her bag on purpose. The thin, proportional, blonde had always had a way with people. _I was right. Here he comes,_she thought. The purple-spotted boy bid his friends goodbye and walked straight towards her.

_That's her friend. I wonder how…_he thought.

"So I expect you didn't come over here to sell me something." She said curtly, addressing the topic directly.

"How did you know…"he started.

"Stop" she interrupted. "Just tell me something. Are you a stalker? Serenity's had some trouble with that in the past. If you are just come out and tell me now. Then I won't have to kill you.

"I am definitely not a stalker."

"Great." She smiled then her face turned serious. "If I find out you're lying I'll pull your limbs off your body then dip you in a pool of syringes filled with methamphetamines."

Odd's face was frozen, his eyes wide with surprise and fear.

She smiled, shouldered her bag and walked away, leaving him behind.

...

Demi opened the door and was blasted with music. Serenity had duck taped her math book to the wall and was throwing darts at it. "DOES THAT HELP YOU ACE THINGS?" she screamed to be heard over the music. Serenity looked up and grinned, then reached over and turned the volume down.

"Sorry." she said throwing the last dart before continuing. "It doesn't necessarily help, but its good fun." She said getting up and pulling all the darts out. "Wanna try?" she said offering Demi a dart.

"No thanks, I'd love to murder educational text with you but I've got to study." Demi said sitting in a second beanbag chair.

"Ok, but you don't know what you're missing." Serenity said throwing another dart.

After a couple of hours Demi yawned," wow, ok I'm calling it a night."

"Me too, all that studying really took it out of me," said Serenity, flopping onto her bed. Demi just shook her head, gathered her things and left. She dumped her stuff, pulled on her pajamas and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

...

"Serenity are you still asleep?" Demi shouted, pounding on the door.

She heard a groan and a distinctly muffled Serenity say "come back tomorrow."

Demi barged into the room, surprised to find it unlocked, and began shaking Serenity saying, "Come on get up. Also, lock your door when you're sleeping like a normal human being. What if you got stolen? I would totally get blamed for it."

"No Justin I don't want to take the dog out, do it yourself." Serenity said rolling over.

"Come on get up." Demi said shaking harder.

"Ok I'm up, I'm up," said Serenity, throwing Demi off and rolling out of bed. She went over and turned on her music.

"Is this all you're going to listen to the whole year?" asked Demi covering her ears with her hands.

"I'm sorry, I miss those guys."

"Oh, that reminds me, here they sent it to the wrong room." Demi said, handing her a letter:

_Dear Serenity and Demi, 'cause she's either reading this out loud to you or you're reading over her shoulder._

_We miss you! School here is so boring without you. I hope you guys haven't killed each other yet and that Serenity is still passing math. Holiday's decided she would be a good solo artist and is pushing us all to the limit with her guitar playing into the early morning hours. We're going to get earplugs soon and maybe move out of the suite. Stacy says she's going to hit her over the head with a drum. Hope you're doing well, staying out of trouble, and meeting tons of cute boys. Call us anytime 'cause we're bored out of our minds and write back soon._

_Lots of love_

_Stacy, Diana, and Holiday._

"We have 10 minutes before class starts," Demi commented, looking at her watch.

"Plenty of time." Serenity said, then sat down and wrote a quick response. After about a minute she finished and sealed it into an envelope. "Come on let's go." She said picking up her bag.

Demi followed her out the door, closing it behind them.

On the way to class Serenity dropped the letter into the outgoing mail slot at the student mailroom. Once in class they took their seats right together in the very back corner.

...

Ok I hope you enjoyed that. I will update as soon as I get 5 reviews. So review if you want to know what happens. Flames count so do that to if you hate it. The next chapter involves ditching Demi, a cool key chain, and an elf named Luna. Ponder on that for a bit and I'll hopefully see you soon.

Katie

Update (10/24/2010)

Dear readers,

I'm going through and editing the earlier chapters of this story for your convenience and mine. I started this story when I was still in middle school and as a current college student some of it makes me cringe and want to die in a hole. You don't have to reread everything; hopefully nothing will be too drastically changed. I just wanted to let everyone know that this is what's going on.

-Katie


	2. Luna

Here's to the ONLY 2 people who reviewed and yes I will add a character named Eli just for you. I hope you enjoy this really short chapter

DISCLAIMER: I own 3 pairs of blue jeans, a pair of white jeans that I love, a white iPod nano, all three Harry Potter and Lord of the rings movies, a huge drawer of makeup, about 80 bottles of nail polish, but no I don't own code Lyoko

…

The two girls walked out of the classroom looking exhausted. "My brain hurts." Serenity said rubbing her head.

"I studied and that was still hard," said Demi.

"I need food," Serenity said heading for the Dining Hall.

"There's your boyfriend." Demi said pointing at Odd standing in the middle of a group of people.

"Shut up Demi" Serenity said punching her shoulder.

She quickened her pace, dragging Demi behind her. As they passed Odd and his friends she heard bits of their conversation. 'Lyoko, Xana, Aelita'; she had heard these words before, she had found her targets.

"Hi Serenity."

"Hi Odd," she said smiling at him as she and Demi made her way past the group.

His friends had stopped talking and were staring at her. She could feel their eyes burning in her back as she and Demi walked away. _I have to ditch Demi now._ "Listen, I'm not hungry anymore. I want to go running in the park. Do you want to come?" she said, already knowing the answer.

"Are you kidding? I'd die. I'm not hungry either. I'm going to bed."

"Right. See you later."

…

She was in the park, crouched behind a tree, watching the four figures open the sewer hatch and descend into the tunnel below, closing the lid behind them.

"Falsify yourself," rumbled a mechanical voice inside her head.

"Of course." She took a cylinder shaped key chain hidden on her back belt buckle. The sign of Xana glowed bright red on it. It began to pulse as Xana connected it to the activated a tower, providing it with energy. Holding it between her thumb and pointer finger she inserted a card with what looked like a picture of a female elfish ranger on it and the name Serenity glowing at the top into a slot in the side. "Find Aelita they'll be with her." She whispered to it as it began to glow.

…

Odd bent his knees to absorb the shock as he hit the ground. Ulrich and Yumi did the same as they landed beside him. "Hey guys," said a pink-haired elf running towards them.

"Hi Aelita," they answered back. Odd saw something silver move out of the corner of his eye. He turned around quickly but there was nothing there.

"What's wrong Odd?" Aelita asked him.

"What? Oh, nothing. Come on lets go kick some Xana butt," he said running towards the tower. He quickly brought down 3 frelions with the help of his friends.

"Um, guys," came Jeremy's voice, "About 20 more frelions coming your way."

They all groaned. Working together they got all of the frelions except three but by then they were exhausted and the frelions had surrounded them. Closing in, getting closer and closer so they couldn't escape.

Suddenly Odd saw another flash of sliver and three arrows hit each frelion, dead center. They all looked in the direction of where the arrows had come from and saw a figure in a long, hooded, silver cloak, bow in hand.

"Who are you?" asked Ulrich being brave and drawing his sword. The figure just began to walk slowly towards them. "I'm warning you." Ulrich said holding his sword in front of him.

The figure just continued walking. Ulrich ran at the figure and began attacking it with his sword. The figure just kept walking but it did block Ulrich's blows with its bow. The figure stopped about two feet from Aelita. Moving quickly it tripped Ulrich, drew a short sword, and lunged at Aelita. Odd shot and it hit the figure's side just as the swords tip entered a kankrelat's Xana sign. The monster had crept up behind them and had been going to hit Aelita with a laser beam.

The figure let out pained cry as it fell backwards, sword falling to the ground. As it fell its hood slid away and revealed a girl, an elf like Aelita but with waist length, glittering, silvery-white hair. She was wearing a white tee shirt with the sleeves rolled up on her shoulders so it was sleeveless and a silver crescent moon on the front. On the bottom she had a flared and ruffled silver mini skirt. Then for shoes she had silver, knee-high boots that had metal buckles on them.

"Luna." Aelita cried running over to her and kneeling next to her.

"Hi Aelita, sorry for scaring you."

"But why does it hurt you so much?" Aelita asked her.

"Cause my cloak has the hit points, so it can shield. My body only has 20 and HE took away 15"she said glaring angrily at Odd.

"Um, oops?"

"Yeah, oops" she said sarcastically. Odd blushed and scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "I can transfer some points back into my body from my cloak. This will just take a moment.

"Ok…" Aelita said, sounding confused.

"Just back up and wait a few seconds," Luna said, smiling at her. They all backed away a few paces. Luna carefully stood on shaking legs that looked like they wouldn't hold her weight. Then she began to glow. Brighter and brighter until all at once it stopped and she just stood there, her eyes closed as if in deep slumber. The change was slightly evident; her cloak was not as shiny and metallic but her face and body showed no change. Then her body wobbled and fell lightly backwards.

"I got it," Odd said and dove, catching her bridal style and skidding to a stop on his stomach.

"Will someone please tell what's happening and why you're not going to the tower?" Jeremy's voice echoed off the orange rocks.

"Well Jeremy there's this girl here, um Luna and she's Aelita's friend and Odd shot her and well I don't even really know exactly…" Yumi babbled.

"And why is Odd holding one of Xana's monsters?" Jeremy's voice asked sounding annoyed and frustrated as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"He's not, that's Luna…wait, what?" Ulrich said confused and disbelieving.

"My screen shows that Odd is holding an unknown monster made by Xana." Jeremy said slowly sounding very annoyed.

"But that can't be right, Luna is an elf like me she's not one of Xana's creatures" Aelita said explaining gently to Jeremy.

"The screen doesn't lie, Aelita." Jeremy said in a harsh voice.

Meanwhile Odd was looking at the frail girl in his arms. _She looks familiar._ Her eyes flickered open. She grinned wickedly.

"Oh, um, hi…" he said blushing, embarrassed at being caught staring.

"Feel free to put me down anytime now." She said.

"Oh, right, here you go." He said, setting her on her feet. "Hey you look familiar, have we met before?"

"Do you want us to have met before?" She paused and looked at the sky like she could hear something in the distance. "You guys better get to the tower."

They all stopped trying to make sense of the situation and ran towards the tower. Aelita went inside and they all rounded on Luna.

"How did you get here? Why are you pictured as a monster?" they asked.

She just smiled as if the whole thing was hilariously funny and said, "Tell Aelita I said bye." Then she disappeared.

….

So I hoped you enjoyed that. If you read the original copy of this story you would see with all the corrections I made to it its totally different. Ok now review CAUSE I GOT 22 HITS 22! BUT ONLY 2 REVIEWS. COME ON NOW THAT'S JUST PATHETIC. So anyway until I get at least 5 reviews you will get really super short chapters because I really don't see what's so hard about clicking a button and typing "wow this is great" or "I hate it, it sucks". I really don't care what you say. So on a happier note the next chapter involves a huge library book, more watch conversation, and an argument over which is better soccer or field hockey.

Updated: 10/24/2010 -Katie


	3. Friends?

Hello again! Marta has saved you from the terrible fate of me never updating again. However only just. I will wait until at least one person other than Haley reviews cause Haley always reviews, she's addicted. I think Marta is now addicted as well so you may never have to face my evil wrath. And don't think I won't do it either because I could care less who reads it and am only posting for Haley and other truly addicted code Lyoko fans out there. So as long as I get 1 review, just 1 measly review, that's all it takes, I will keep writing super really abnormally short chapters. Anyway, off topic, if nobody reviews by the time I get to the 5th chapter I might just start doing really suspenseful cliffhangers and won't stop even if you throw things at me. Anyway Haley was very excited because I added some of the scenes she thought up in the later part of the story I hope you enjoy them when they come around. Ok enough talk.

DISCLAIMER: One day I will take over the world and take great pride in owning Code Lyoko and making this into a Code Lyoko movie MARK MY WORD MWUHAHAHA but my advisers say I should until after college for world domination.

Just so you know I'm doing my health project at the same time I'm doing this so if I suddenly start to go off and speak loudly about the dangers of over the counter drugs, blame my health teacher.

This chapter is dedicated to my dad because he unknowingly helped me edit it. I don't think he did it to the best of his abilities so expect errors, lots of errors. Well what can you expect I only got an A- in English this term and it's not like I'm in college or something. Plus it's the story that counts and it's not like there's so many errors that it's distracting, right?… right?… shit.

And now I bring you, in the free time after massive amounts of homework and basketball practice, while stuffing full of Doritos, Chocolate, Red Bull, and a tangerine to make it healthy,…

Chapter 3

Odd sighed. Doing a day over was always boring and really screwed up the week. Now, sitting on his bed and attempting to do homework seemed more difficult than usual. His music was humming in his ears like always. He had turned it down low because Ulrich said it bothered him.

He looked up at Ulrich, who had given up all attempts to do homework today and was lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, his eyes glazed over. _Probably thinking about Yumi._

Someone passed by their door, heels clicking loudly, saying, "yeah Demi, I did the homework. No, I didn't do it in complete sentences. Oh well, cause I'm not redoing it."

Odd had perked up when he heard the heels, then, taking off his earphones he heard the familiar voice as it faded saying that it was going to the library and why. Odd packed up his books, yelled at Ulrich for laughing at him, and left, heading for the last place he would ever go as fast as he could.

…

As Serenity set her bag down on a table she felt the tickle in her skull that meant she was about to receive a message from her superior. She went to the back of the library near the huge reference books. "What?" she asked, impatiently.

"Subject 3 approaches, you know what to do." He responded in a deep, raspy, male's voice that echoed in her mind.

She sighed, "fine."

She chose a reference book and, staggering under the weight of what could have been a newborn whale, went back to her table. Setting the book down she searched for a project topic in the index and at the same time waited for Odd. She didn't have to wait long. After about a minute or so of taking note on the bubonic plague's sweep through Europe, he walked in. She waved and motioned for him to some sit at her table.

He came over and set his bag on the table. "Hi Serenity."

"Hi Odd, are you sure you're not a stalker." She replied going back to her notes.

"What a hurtful thing to say." He clutched his chest and pretended to be upset. "What are you doing?" he asked, rifling through his bag.

"My project for History." She replied not looking up from her work.

"I guess I can do mine too then." He took out a History book and a piece of paper set up for notes but with no notes on it. "So the homosapiens were the ones that stood upright…right?" He flipped through his book to the right page and then looked at it blankly, uncomprehending. Serenity shook her head and, smiling, began to help him.

…..

"Look, Serenity, look! Your boyfriend wants us to with him and his friends." Demi said, pointing. Serenity elbowed her in the ribs. "Ow! Well he does. Look!" Demi said, rubbing her ribs, jerking her head in the direction of Odd who was frantically gesturing for Serenity to sit with him. She gestured back, asking if Demi could come to. She wouldn't go without her; that just wouldn't do. Odd turned to his friends and said something. They all nodded but they didn't look too happy about it.

"Alright, let's go before he has a heart attack or waves his arms off his body."

…

I looked closely at Odd's new friend. With her belly button ring, and clothes of choice she looked perfect for Odd. She wasn't half bad looking; if I didn't have Yumi…No, I shook my head slightly. I did have Yumi. Her friend strongly contrasted her with her pretty, practical look. A pleated light blue skirt with a blue and white striped blouse was her outfit of choice. She was wearing blue tennis shoes and her straight, blonde, shoulder length hair was down but pinned out of her eyes.

….

Odd introduced us to all his friends. There was Yumi, who's in the 8th grade like us, a Japanese girl with a sort of Goth thing going on, wearing all black. Jeremy, obviously a nerd but not totally horrible looking. I've seen him around and he's never without his computer. Then there's Ulrich, very cute but it's obvious that he and Yumi are into each other which is kind of a shame because I'm definitely interested. I've seen him before at boys' soccer practice 'cause they practice on the field next to us during field hockey practice. He's very good, team striker in fact.

…..

"So, are you going anywhere over vacation?" I asked.

"No" Odd replied. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I've got to go to my uncle's house. He has to give me something and he says he can't mail it or it would die. How much you want to bet it's a potted plant?" I said sighing. "I should probably visit my brother while I'm there too…"

"How long will you be gone?"

"Just for Saturday probably."

I had been watching Demi for a while now. First she had an argument with Ulrich over which was better; soccer or field hockey. Then she had talked to Jeremy about computers, had another argument with Ulrich over who had one the first argument and was now talking to Yumi about the math test. Jeremy and Ulrich were talking about a program that made plays for soccer. The four of them were pretty good at pretending that they weren't watching Odd and I out of the corners of their eyes. Just then the bell rang. Lunch was over; it was time for more classes. We all got up.

"We all have science," Jeremy said motioning to the guys.

"Cool. Yumi, where are you going?" I asked.

"English," came her simple reply as she picked up her bag.

"Hey, that's where we're going. We can all walk together." Demi said pushing her bag strap further up on her shoulder.

"Sounds good."

We said goodbye and parted ways.

"So, do you guys want to hang out with us on Sunday? It'll be good not to be the only girl for once." Yumi said, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"Sure," Demi answered for both of us and I continued, "Sounds fun. Where?"

"How about my room?" Demi asked Yumi more than me.

She shrugged. By then we were in the English wing. Yumi went into her classroom and Demi and I took our seats. I put my head on my desk and pretended to listen as the teacher explained the antonyms of some random words.

Ooo. What will Serenity get from her uncle? Ooo the mystery.

Anyway now for a musical interlude brought to you by Katie's mind wanderings around 1 in the morning. Yay me… If this offends you in any way please refrain from reading it. Also partaking in singing along with this new version of Santa Claus is comin' to town may result in lip swelling, eye bleeding, loss of voice, and/or cancerous tumors forming in VERY odd places and not the good kind of odd either. Anyway here it is…

**She knows when you're online**

**She knows when you rea-ead**

**She knows if you review or not**

**So review for goodness sake**

**Oh you better r&r**

**You better not try**

**To be lazy**

**I'm tellin' you why**

**Oh**

**Katie is a' writin' today**

**Oh yeah**

**Katie is a' writin' today**

K**atie is a writin' today**

**Yeah **(jazz hands)

Yes, I know this is extremely creepy. Fear it, embrace it.

And so until next time, toodles

(Pokes head through door and screams) **REVIEW!**

Updated 10/24/2010- Katie


	4. Field Hockey

Ok I've been wracking my brain to write the latest chapter in the written version of this. So anyway my brain is mush, I didn't do any homework…ect. Ect. Haley or aka miss know-it-all suggested I make some new scenes and just insert them where needed. So I wrote some up and this first one is one of them. Since I have no basketball practice today cause the running water in our school was broken. I have decided to write for you. Yay. I broke the middle finger on my left hand so it'll probably take all afternoon to type this but I'm willing to make that sacrifice for you guys. Anyway…

DISCLAIMER: What? Have you been on like Jupiter or something this whole time? NO I DO NOT OWN CODE LYOKO.

This chapter is dedicated to…um… my belly button, Pickle.

By the way, I know in the show Odd doesn't play soccer but here he does, so deal with it.

Chapter 4

I looked out at the field through the caged front of my helmet. It was sweltering. Sweat was pouring off the girls as we all ran laps. I had to run in the goalie equipment, which was murder. As if I wasn't hot enough. While everybody else stretched I adjusted my red bandana to keep my bangs out of my eyes under this blasted helmet. I sighed. Who was I fooling? I love this position: every sweating, pinching, chafing, uncomfortable bit.

After laps and stretching the team warmed up by shooting on me. After that I danced crazily in my pads to loosen up. Then I leaned on the side of the goal panting and sweating while Coach Dawn explained the drill and split us into two teams.

It was offense against defense and Demi was dribbling towards me with the ball. She easily shook the first defender with a dodge, and then got past the second with an Indian dribble to the left. She approached the circle.

The defense was recovering as fast as they could but Demi was quicker and I knew they wouldn't be here in time. I was all alone. 1-on-1. Just the way I liked it.

She entered the circle, Indian dribbling to distract me. I watched the ball like a hawk. Then suddenly she shot it into the upper right corner, where she knew I was having trouble saving it lately. I jumped up and right as hard as I could and slapped it away with the hard palm of my glove. I had aimed it so it hit the defensive link. She took it and dribbled it up, dodging offensive players and got it past the half line, winning a point for defense.

Score: defense 1, offense 0. Demi was looking at me; leaning on one hip, stick in hand. "What! That was a lousy shot." I told her and slapped her stick with mine. She turned and ran back to her spot in the offensive line. Time for round 2.

I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned a bit so I was still looking forward and it looked like I was still paying attention but I could see what was up. The boys' soccer team was filing onto the field next to ours. They put their bags down and started to run laps. Lucky, they only had to run one because of the heat. Field hockey ran five…rain or shine…hot or cold, five, no matter what; one thing you could always count on was running five laps. That's Coach Dawn for you.

I heard someone yelling, "Go Demi!" I snapped my attention back to the field hockey field and sure enough Demi had the ball and was past the defense. She entered the circle. She wasn't Indian dribbling. That meant she was going left and by the extra 15 seconds she was taking to set it up I'd say it was upper left. She was taking too long. I took two quick, waddling steps and kicked the ball off her stick as hard as I could. It went to the ¼ line and stopped in front of the right mid-fielder. She took it and dribbled it a bit before passing it to the center mid-fielder who took it and drove it past two offenders and the half line. Defense 2, offense 0.

Demi was looking at me again. "You're gonna have to do better than that." I told her grinning. She grinned back, and then ran to her spot. The next time she came down she scored with a quick flick to the right, inside, lower corner.

Truth was I wasn't paying attention. Hey, what can I say? My mind wanders in the heat and the fact that I really wanted to go over and talk to Odd and Ulrich but couldn't, that was pretty distracting too. Dawn thought it was heat stroke and I don't blame her, looking at my fellow teammates I saw that they were all red and drenched in sweat.

I couldn't say the same for me though, no I wasn't better off, I was worse. The sweat running down my face was obscuring my vision. The inside of my pads were wet and slippery with sweat, sliding around and creating friction, making it worse. The pad on my chest and stomach was like wearing a wool sweater. The front of my shirt was drenched, wet, soggy, and very warm. It was sodden, sticking to my skin and the pad, acting as an adhesive, allowing no breeze to blow through and lower the temperature. My feet, in their huge, black, padded shoes, were on fire from absorbing the suns heat. My socks were soggy and squishy. I also had to wear black, padded shorts…in the sun, which was like wearing black, padded shorts… in the sun. Need I say more?

Everybody ran or in my case waddled to get water. When Coach told me to shuffle instead of waddling I told her it was too hot. I really don't see the problem, it could have been worse. She told me to run a lap after I got my water. Of course I had to run in my pads…Yay, more sweating. She went over plays and shooting techniques as we drank our boiled water and Gatorade. Demi and I hid in the back and talked for a bit.

"You should have just shuffled instead of talking back." She lectured.

"Demi, listen to me. I'm hot. I'm tired. I'm sweaty, and now I have to run a lap in this gear after she's done blabbing. I'M NOT IN THE MOOD."I told her irritably, taking off my helmet and sodden bandana and finding a new one in my bag.

"Serenity and Demi, I'm talking, not you. Serenity, this is your second warning. Now you and Demi have two laps each to look forward to." Coach Dawn said. I did a heavy mental sigh as I tied the new bandana on.

Demi tapped my shoulder and pointed to the opposite field where Odd and Ulrich where getting water while Jim talked. They waved and we waved back. Then we all cringed as Jim shouted and held up 4 fingers. "Demi and Serenity, lucky you, you get to run four laps, one more and you won't play in the game." Coach Dawn said.

We have this rule in field hockey, if you have to run five laps for disciplinary reasons you don't play in the next game, no exceptions. It wasn't a fun rule, especially since you knew that Dawn would do it. Dawn finished her lecture and Demi and I ran off to do our laps. We were halfway through the first one when Jim finished his lecture and Odd and Ulrich started to run their laps. They sprinted and caught up with us.

"Hot, isn't it?" was Odds greeting.

"Don't remind me," I said.

"How many do you have to do?" Demi asked after sending me a pitiful glance.

"Four for waving" Ulrich said smoothing his stride and running even with Demi.

"I got one for not shuffling, then we both got up to two for talking, then two more for waving," I said.

"I feel bad for you, you have to run in all those pads," Odd said.

"Don't, I love it," I interrupted sarcastically.

"Isn't it harder? Don't they slow you down?" he continued.

"Obviously."

When we turned onto lap four we were all breathing heavy. "Let's make this interesting." Demi suggested between gasps.

"That's gonna be pretty hard Demi. This is pretty damn interesting. This is one of the most interesting things I've ever done." I said, sarcastic even though I couldn't breathe.

"Let's have a race," she said ignoring me.

"Sounds fun," came from the heavily breathing Odd.

"Sure" said Ulrich only breathing a little heavy.

"Ok, this corner to the end," Demi said. "Ready? Set? Go!" she said and took off. I sighed and started sprint-waddling. It wasn't a pretty sight but I was keeping up with Odd. We turned the last corner onto the final stretch. It was really a race between Demi and Ulrich but I was determined not to be last. So 30 yards from the finish (the bleachers) I cut sharply in front of Odd causing him to run into me. I was a lot sturdier than him in all my pads so he just fell over backwards.

"Hey!" he said getting up as fast as he could but I was almost at the finish line.

"Watch where you're going." I shouted back at him, grinning. I waddled past the finish line and then went to get water.

When Odd walked past, back to the soccer field, he whispered, "cheater!"

"Who? Me?" I said innocently, taking a sip of hot water.

We grinned at each other, then the coaches yelled and we were back to practice. I ran up beside Demi. "So…who won?"

"I did, but only by this much." She said holding her fingers an inch or two apart.

"I can't wait till it snows," I commented looking up at the sky.

…

"Hey guys, look at what my uncle got me." Serenity said bursting into Demi's room.

"What?" they all said from their various places around the room. Serenity showed them what she was holding. A tiny, brown puppy with white spots and big brown puppy eyes stared at them with curiosity.

"Oh, it's so cute." Demi and Yumi said together.

"What did you name it?" Odd and Ulrich asked.

"You better keep it down because they're not allowed." Jeremy said, not looking up from his laptop.

"Her name is Mocha," Serenity said setting her down gently on the floor. "And I know they're not allowed but she's too cute, I just couldn't give her away."

"She's got to meet Kiwi." Odd said grinning.

"Kiwi?" Serenity asked.

"Odd's dog." Ulrich explained.

"I didn't know you had a dog. They should meet."

"How about tonight? We can take them for a walk in the park." Odd suggested.

"Sounds good," Serenity said, sitting down on the floor and petting her new puppy. "Anybody else coming?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Oh, I can't I have to… do the history project," Demi said.

"Me too," said Yumi.

"I have to work on Ael…um, my new software." Jeremy said, catching himself.

"I have math homework." Ulrich said.

"I guess it's just us," Odd said smiling.

"I guess so," Serenity said smiling back at him. When he wasn't looking she glared at Demi, who looked at her innocently, then finally gave in and smirked evilly. Serenity mouthed the words" you will pay" and she mouthed back " who? Me?" and smirked some more.

Ok, in short, with my broken finger it takes me twice as long to type things, which is a long time because I type really slowly. So I probably won't be updating a lot for a while until I get this stupid cast off my finger and I can bend it again but I made this chapter really long to make up for it. Not that you guys deserve it. 158 people read and I have 8 reviews. Simply pathetic. I guess it's probably useless to tell you to review but I will anyway because I pride myself on being annoying.

In the rough draft of this story I'm almost on the ending and I'm telling you now there will be an alternate ending because I just felt like it. So if you don't like this ending in this version read the alternate ending.

Anyway I won't scare you with anymore musical interludes unless I feel the need to punish you. I hope you like it. And review because without motivation to continue I might just leave it off here. Anyway the next chapter involves music in the back ground, another race, and, maybe, if you're lucky, a confession to Demi, maybe, if the mood strikes me.

From now on if you ever see anything weird, anything at all, you MUST. Fear it. Embrace it. I COMMAND YOU.

REVIEW! - From your author: Katie a.k.a. bringer of chaos (or pie whichever you prefer).

Updated 10/24/2010- Katie


	5. A Walk In The Park

My is cast off but now I have to tape it to my other two fingers so I only have three fingers on my left hand. Anyway it's still really hard to type. Thank you for reviewing those who did. I really appreciate it and it helps me not be lazy and make my sister type this.

Now in correspondence with reviews…

Marta 1: YOU CAN NEVER BEAT THE ALL TIME CHAMPIAN. I don't care if I pull my stomach muscles again I will hold the record for leg-ups in gym.

Marta 2: Yes, it is based on my real Coach Dawn, whom I have fondly given the nickname you refer to.

Marta 3: You really read too much into this. If I owned Code Lyoko I would keep the TV show the same and go live in Paris. There I would eat steak and fries all day and make this into a kick ass code Lyoko movie.

Marta 4: Yay, no grammar mistakes! Go me! BREAK, BREAK, BREAK DANCE! And HA throws pizza in Marta's eye

Haley 1: You will never win because I control if your character gets blown into little bits in the end or not.

Haley 2: YOU UPDATE SOON, WOMAN!

And remember FIELDHOCKEY IS SOOOOOOO BETTER THEN SOCCER!

Anyway this chapter is dedicated to cab88, the only reviewer that left a name and isn't my friends in RL. XD

DISCLAIMER: I still do not own code Lyoko (tear tear) nor do I own the song in the first part of the chapter: Mystify by Raven Symone.

Ok, let's see, oh yeah! The first part is a songfic (see above). So the italics are the song. Another thing I am VERY open minded when it comes to music (blame my parents) and I really do not care if you like the songs in this story now or in the future. So be sure to tell me how much Raven Symone sucks but be warned your complaining falls on deaf ears. So now…. on to the chapter!

Chapter 5

_Alright, mystify  
Mystify_

Odd snuck out of the building, Kiwi in his arms. He headed to the park. Checking his watch he realized he was early and she wouldn't be there yet.

_Give a little look with some attitude  
Make em think about you_

"This is all Ulrich's fault," he muttered. Ulrich had kicked him and Kiwi out of their dorm when they wouldn't stop pacing, impatiently awaiting the night, for different reasons of course.

_Show em with a stare  
you can take it there_

SERENITY POV

"Stay in the bag Mocha!" I said, pushing the puppy's head down, into the bag. I turned up the song on my ipod and hummed along.

_Leave a little guess  
Make em curious  
who you really are now_

I walked quickly towards the park, dodging the light from the street lamps. "Stay in there Mocha!" I said again, gently pushing the inquisitive puppy's back inside the bag.

_Everything about you has a way of  
making everybody wanna know you more_

"You're going to have so much fun playing with Kiwi at the park," I cooed to the puppy. I glanced at the time on my iPod screen and sighed, "We're early. This is all your fault." I looked down at the puppy who wagged her tail in response. "If you hadn't whined for a half-hour Demi wouldn't have kicked us out of our room," I said. These words resulted in more wagging.

_Picture in a pose  
but they never know  
anything about you_

"You're hopeless," I said. I sighed and patted her puppy's head, at the same time pushing her head back into the bag. "Ok, ok! You win." I said as she started wiggling ferociously. I set the bag on the grass and sat down beside it.

_Show em with a vibe  
Take em on a ride_

_little more intrigue  
little mystery  
gotta make em wonder_

_everything about you has a way of  
making everybody wanna know your name_

The puppy crawled out and began chewing on the bag. "Mocha, don't!" I grabbed the bag and held it out of her reach.

_Mystify  
(yeah you mystify)  
With your eyes  
(oh yeah now with your eyes)  
Play the part  
(gotta play the part. play the part)  
Take your time  
(take your time)_

I pulled a small rawhide bone out of my pocket and showed it to her. "Fetch," I said throwing it into a bush. She raced off to retrieve it. In two seconds she disappeared into the bushes, rustling loudly.

_You're a star  
The way you do that...the way you got that touch  
You are the one who leaves em guessing, more than not enough  
You mystify  
You're captivating...in every single way_

_Make em wanna get to know you  
That's the game that you get to play_

A couple seconds later a gray dog burst out of the bushes closely followed by Mocha, her bone in her mouth. "Kiwi?" I asked him and he ran over wagging his tail. "Hi! Where's Odd?" I asked, petting him.

"Right here!" Odd said, pushing through the bushes.

"Good evening," I said taking my ipod off and slipping it into my pocket.

"Kiwi! What happened buddy? You just left me there!" Both dogs ignored him and cuddled against my legs. "Pathetic," Odd said and I giggled as Kiwi rolled over to have his belly scratched. "Have you been waiting long?" Odd asked, watching me pet the dogs.

"Well I haven't been waiting long here, if that's what you mean but I have been out of the dorm building for quite some time. Demi kicked us out of our room. She said she could hear Mocha whining and me pacing through the wall." I said, getting up and brushing my pants off.

"What a coincidence. Ulrich kicked us out of our room too." Odd said, grinning.

"What for?"

"Pacing."

I smiled. "So, what now?" I asked, looking around.

"Let's just try to keep up with them," Odd suggested.

After about an hour or so of following the dogs it was getting a little less exciting. "This is boring." Odd said. I yawned.

"Yup. Listen, I have to run five miles tomorrow for field hockey conditioning and I promised myself I'd be in by 1. It's 12:45 now so we have a little bit of time left." I said, looking at my watch.

"Ok, I'll tell you what; I bet I can beat you in a race to that tree." Odd said, looking around and picking a tree.

"Which tree?" I asked suspiciously.

"That big one with the moss on it" he said, pointing it out.

"Ok, you're on, on one condition."

"What?"

"I get to say go."

"Ok…"

"Ready, set, go" I said and sprinted toward the tree. I beat Odd with no effort because I usually had to run twice as fast to run to maintain a regular speed in my field hockey pads therefore without them I run very fast, when it isn't hot. "So, what do I win?" I asked, leaning against the tree.

"I don't know…you choose." Odd said clutching his stomach in a cramp.

I thought for a moment. "You and Kiwi have to walk with Mocha and me every night, all of this week," I said.

"You're on," he said, grinning widely.

I just looked at my feet and felt my face heat up. "1:00" I said as my watch beeped the hour.

"Oh…" Odd said looking slightly crestfallen.

"Come on Mocha." I said, kneeling down. The puppy came sprinting from the left of the tree and jumped into my arms. "Good girl. "Well…bye Odd." I said, putting Mocha back into the bag and shouldering it.

"Bye Serenity…" Odd said. I walked away. It took him a little longer to find Kiwi but I heard him say "com'on Kiwi" and his footsteps headed in the same direction as mine, to the dorms.

...

Yay me! I typed this all in two and a half hours. Not bad one handed if I do say so myself. Anyway the week before last week we had to write an essay for English about how the wolf moon (the full moon of January) got its name. We were studying for midterms (which were last week) in math and I was sitting next to Haley. Anyway we had a sub so the class was chaos. I, like the smart/lazy person I am had given up studying and had taken to entertaining Haley with crazy versions of my wolf moon essay because I was trying to think of the story line. The following is one of them modified for this purpose.

Once upon a time there was a little girl who read Katie's story online and didn't review. She was walking down the street one day and bragging about how she didn't review and was proud of it when a nuclear bomb came out of the sky and hit her in the head but did not explode. After she woke up from her knocked out, I-have-I-concussion sleep she put the nuclear bomb in a little red wagon and named it Jeremiah. The bomb became her best friend and she took it everywhere. One day she was walking up a hill, dragging the bomb behind her, when she slipped and fell. The bomb went flying down the hill. It hit the bottom and exploded. Then everyone got nuclear bomb cancer. (Insert discussion about why leukemia isn't called nuclear bomb cancer here) (insert conversation about how there was no wolf here) …oh yeah…and then there was a wolf. The end.

Yes I know I'm insane but you must review anyway. I also realize my posting is a bit irregular. You will just have to deal with it because I'm a busy lady and I write when I have time.

Quote: " Oh, I'm not schizophrenic… just very busy." Daisy from Daisy Does America.

Anyway I decided to name all my chapters and the next one involves…CHEERLEADING. I gotta go ask Angie about that. Oh yes before I forget the Angie in this story does field hockey but in real life does cheerleading. Good luck figuring out how I became friends with a platinum blonde cheerleader.

So toodles for now…

Updates 10/24/2010- Katie


	6. Creative Genius

There's a brand new, totally unread by editor's eyes, scene in here. So that is my only excuse for why it sucks. Haley thanks for the ramen and my huge spoon. Anyway I have time to type so I'll type. This is going to be interesting cause I'm just writing this now and I usually write it ahead of time. Now let me tell you about my story notebook. First of all if you ask me for a piece of paper from it I will say, "this isn't paper, it's a creative art because I'm a nerd like that". The notebook itself is purple. It's very deformed, stuffed with odd pieces of paper with hastily scribbled notes. Then the front cover ripped off so I taped it back on with medical tape because it holds up better. I made a pocket on the back to hold my storylines. Then my art crazy friends got it in, what else, art class and scribbled and doodled random things on it. Then I was bored in skills so I added to the doodles and added some random song lyrics to the front and back. This all was titled in French class " The Random Scribblings Of A Mad Person". So… onto the story….

But first the dedication and the disclaimer…

DISCLAIMER: I only have $87 and 12cents to my name… not poor, but not nearly enough to buy a major TV show… so, no, I don't own Code Lyoko.

This chapter is dedicated to sargentaaron2004 the newest person to review who is not my friends…WHO CAN NOT COMPLAIN BECAUSE ALREADY HAVE THE WHOLE STORY/ FIRST CHAPTER DEDICATED TO THEM! Anyway, now to the story….

Chapter 6

"Come on Serenity; we're going to be late to practice." Demi shouted to be heard through the door and over the music.

"Hold on, I'm coming", she heard Serenity scream. Five seconds later the music stopped and the door opened. Serenity emerged carrying her stick and looking like she had just woken up. She yawned and started to walk away.

"Did you just wake up?"

"Yep."

"But it's 4:00 in the afternoon." Said Demi, looking at her in amazement.

"So?"

"So… oh never mind. How long were you out last night?" Demi asked, eyeing her friend with interest.

"Till 1"

"Oo…" Demi started.

"SHUT UP DEMI!" Serenity said hitting Demi in the shins with her stick.

"Ow! Wow, touchy…" Demi said dodging another hit from the stick. "Serenity, stop it! I'm just kidding." She shouted.

Serenity just chuckled but did stop. "Com' on…spill…please…. I would if I were you." Demi said making a puppy face.

"Nothing happened! Ok. Ok!" Serenity started to tell Demi as practice started.

...

I walked down the side of the field to the bleachers with Serenity, Demi, and Yumi. We filled a whole front row of the bleachers so we wouldn't miss any of the action. The teams were warming up, stretching and such. The referee strode to the middle of the field and called for the captains. Two huge guys came from the other team. Our captains were Odd and Ulrich. They stood on either side of the ref as he flipped a coin, looking very small next to the rhinos from the other team.

"They look like gorillas!" Serenity said, laughing and covering her mouth with her hands.

"They really do, don't they?" Yumi said, hiding her own laughter. The group in the center of the field looked at us. I guess we were being too loud. We all waved, laughing some more. Ulrich and Odd waved back, the ref looked confused, and the other team's captains looked sulky. This caused more laughs. When the laughter died down, we watched as the teams warmed up some more and then went to get water. Jim was giving them the before game pep talk. He kept waving his arms and stomping his feet: god only knows what he was saying…

The teams set up their lines for the start of the game. The other team had the ball to start. The ref blew his whistle and the game began; the other team was dribbling it up, to our goal. Just then Odd got the ball and passed it to Ulrich, who dribbled it to the half and scored.

We all cheered, clapping and stomping. A butt was shoved in my face as Sissy got up and started to cheer loudly for Ulrich.

"Ach!" I said, withdrawing in disgust.

"Sissy, move! I don't want to watch you wiggle your ass, I want to watch the game!" Serenity said, trying to look around Sissy.

"Shut your mouth." Sissy said, turning around and putting her hands on her hips.

"Now I really can't see." Serenity said to Demi, completely ignoring Sissy.

"You wanna make something of it?" Sissy asked shrilly. Serenity stood up and brushed her pants off in the back, then looked Sissy straight in the eye, drawing herself up to full height.

"I would snap you like a twig."

"Oh really?" Sissy said looking rather frightened.

"Sissy, you need to move before I do something you'll regret."

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to be intimidated?"

Serenity just shrugged. She leaned down and whispered something to Yumi and Demi.

"Are you ganging up on me?'Cause if you are you should know my father is coming to this game." Serenity ignored her for a second to finish whispering. Yumi and Demi nodded.

Serenity turned back to Sissy and said, "Really? Your father's coming? I could have sworn I heard him say he wasn't going because he had a board meeting…"

Sissy interrupted her, "when were you talking to my father?"

"When Mrs. Gum Nazi sent me to his office for chewing gum…again…"

"You were chewing gum in Science again? Demi asked Serenity. Science was the only class they didn't have together, apparently. Serenity grinned at her.

"Mrs. Gum Nazi? Oh, you mean…" Yumi said before Serenity put her hand over her mouth.

"Shhhh! The bleachers have ears…" she said putting the pointer finger of her free hand to her lips. Sissy, who had been watching this the whole time, raised an eyebrow.

Serenity removed her hand and Yumi said, "Yeah…whatever…Sissy can you come with me please… I need to talk to you about Ulrich…" They left together in silence. Serenity was looking at her watch.

"Um…what was that all…" I started.

"Shhh." Serenity interrupted and put an index finger in my face, not looking up from her watch. "Let's go," she said to Demi after about a minute.

I climbed to the top of the bleachers and looked over the side to see them head to the garden shed. They opened the door and Yumi ran out. They closed and locked the door and Yumi yelled what sounded like, "you can't have him."

Demi and Yumi were headed back, closely followed by Serenity so I went back to my seat. Demi and Yumi sat down while Serenity stood and visually searched the crowd. She found whoever she was looking for and climbed up and over. I snuck a glance and saw her talking to Herb, making hand motions and facial expressions to emphasize her point like she always did. Herb nodded and stood up. They both went over towards the garden shed. I saw her hand him a key and then he continued on to the shed and she returned to the bleachers.

"Ok, let's do this." She said when she reached us.

"Do what?" I asked, clueless. She just smiled.

The 3 of them stood up and went to the side of the bleachers. They organized themselves and started to cheer. "R. O. W. D. I. E. THAT'S THE WAY WE SPELL ROWDY ROWDY. LET'S GET ROWDY. WOOO!" They were much better than Sissy because they were cheering for the whole, team not just Ulrich. They ended up cheering for the whole game, some people in the crowd joining them.

There were 2 minutes left in the game and our team was up by 3 when the principle showed up. All I could think was 'uh-oh…' "Excuse me but why isn't my daughter cheering... Ah, Miss Taylor, always a pleasure, would you happen to know what is happening around here?"

Serenity stepped forward with a small innocent smile on her face that was very convincing. "Certainly Sir. Elizabeth asked us to please cover for her because she had something important to do. After that, the last time I saw her she was with Herb and they were heading for the garden shed and…" she lowered her voice and put a cupped hand to the side of her mouth but I still heard her. "I heard they're dating…"

Mr. Delmas' eyes widened as he realized what she was implying. "Alright then… Carry on…" he said, then rushed off. The 3 of them burst out laughing.

I smiled. Wait until I tell Odd his new friend, is a mental case… but not just any mental case a smart, creative one… a creative genius… that can't be a good combination but, then again, I suppose that's why Odd's friends with her in the first place.

...

"Hi Odd." Serenity said as she came into the clearing, Mocha in her arms.

"Hey," Odd said as he straightened off the tree he had been leaning on.

"Here you go Mocha." Serenity said, putting Mocha down gently. Once on the ground, Mocha ran after Kiwi, into some bushes.

"Hey, guess what?" Odd said.

"What?"

"You know that history thing you helped my with?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, we had a pop quiz on that crap and I got a C!"

"Wow… I didn't think you were really paying attention to what I was saying…"

"What! Of course I was! I mean…it's hard to concentrate… with you... and me..." he said to himself more than Serenity, more like thinking out loud. His voice suddenly stopped short when he realized he was actually talking and he blushed furiously. Serenity laughed at him.

"Come on, before we lose them!" she said, pulling him towards the spot where the dogs had just disappeared. Before long it was one and Serenity had to go in. She picked up Mocha and left.

...

Wow, that 1 scene took me a whole month to write… but that could be because I've depressed lately… anywhoo REVIEW…and…MEATLOAF. Also if anything in this chapter offends you skip that part. Well it's late and that's all I can think to say so…bye till next time…toodles

Katie

P.S. Next chapter there will be a dance… maybe…'yawn' anyway bedtime. So bye bye…REVIEW

Updated: 10/26/10- Katie


	7. Tattoo?

Hi people! I'm in a good mood today because I went out with my friends yesterday to see my little sister be Jasmine in Aladdin. So I thought 'why not write?' Here it is...this could take a while. I have to write a new scene… but I'm willing to devote my whole meaningless day to this so on with the boring stuff before the story…

DISCLAIMER: If I owned code Lyoko Sam would die in a terrible freak accident. So, since as far as the show lets you know Sam is still alive, you can safely assume I still haven't conquered the Earth.

This chapter is dedicated to Fallen Star Rises, another wonderful fan/ reviewer.

So here goes…

Chapter Seven

The week had flown by at the speed of light and with school, friends, field hockey, and the late night walks with Mocha there hadn't been any time for her to just stop and think. This was the 1st time this week for her to just lie down and rest and she was hyper and bored out of her mind.

"This is so boring," Serenity whined.

Demi looked up from the list she was studying and said, "Well, if you hadn't gone into hyper speed while you were doing your homework, you would have something constructive to do. If you're so bored you can help me."

"Ok, what's your problem?"

"Well, there is a dance tomorrow night and I'm in charge of getting a band but so far no one can do it and I can't think of any other bands." Demi said, tapping her pencil on her paper.

"Do you realize who you're talking to?"

"Do you think they can make it?"

"Yeah, it's only an hour away. And they have a new member named Matt." Serenity searched around in her desk drawers and then held up a picture for Demi to see.

"Oo…hey how about doing your best friend a huge favor…"

"I'll see what I can do…"

"Yay!" Demi squealed clapping her hands together.

"You're welcome…but you owe me…"

...

The soccer field was muddy so we had to play on the field hockey field instead. We beat Herb and Nicolas 15-9. Yumi was sitting on the bleachers half watching us, half reading her book. Serenity and Demi ran by every couple of minutes. They were running 5 miles for field hockey conditioning, in other words they wanted to keep in shape. Can you believe they don't even have to run, they just do?

"Nice one!" I said high-fiving Ulrich after he scored the 15th goal.

"You guys are so bad." Sissy said pouting. She stuck her tongue out at me and left.

Ulrich chuckled and dribbled the ball between his feet.

"That's it I'm out," Nicolas said.

"Me too, soccer's a stupid game anyway," Herb said.

"Aw… come on guys…its fun beating the crap out of you and plus…Ulrich needs the practice…"I said.

Ulrich gave me a look when he heard the last part. The goalie just shook his head, not saying anything. I guess 15 goals were too much for him to handle, he probably found them rather insulting. They all exited the field, following Sissy.

Ulrich and I sat down, at a loss for what we were going to do next.

"Wow…I never saw soccer played like that before," came a sarcastic voice from behind us.

We scrambled to our feet and found Serenity, grinning and breathing a little hard from sprint finishing mile 5.

"Where's Demi?" I asked.

She pointed to the bleachers where Demi and Yumi were engaged in conversation. Serenity let herself fall backwards into the soft grass. We sat back down.

"So, why aren't you playing?" she asked.

"Because we beat their sorry asses bad," I told her.

"Hm-mm… so now you're just lying here…"

"Yep."

"Hey guys" Demi said.

"Hey Demi, " we said.

"Demi, go ask Yumi if she wants to be on our team or Odd and Ulrich's," Serenity said.

"Our team?" Demi asked, confused.

"Just do it, woman!"

"Hold on…what's happening now?" I asked.

"Let's play soccer. You guys could use the practice. Demi and I were just gonna sit around with nothing to do anyways. Come on, it'll be fun!"

Yumi and Demi came back over and Demi said, "So, wait, what's happening?"

"You, Yumi, and I are going to play soccer against Odd and Ulrich."

"Wait… that's not fair…you guys have more players," I said.

"Yes, but you guys actually play soccer so it evens out." Serenity said.

"Ok…but I'm not going easy so we're gonna kick your butts" I said. I gave her my hand and she hoisted herself up.

"Sure, whatever. Now choose a side." Serenity said.

"That one" I said pointing to a side.

"Ok, Demi and Yumi, you can be forwards. I'll be traveling goalie." Serenity said.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" I asked, worried she didn't know what she was getting herself into.

"Yeah…it can't be that much different from field hockey, right?"

"They doubt have people like Ulrich in field hockey…" By now we were inches from each other.

She leaned forward and whispered her eyes locked on mine, "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself, stop acting like my brother." Someone cleared their throat. Demi, Yumi, and Ulrich were looking at us.

"Are we gonna do this or not?" Demi asked, sounding rather irritated.

"Don't be angry because my tattoo's prettier than yours" Serenity said, teasing her.

"I DON'T EVEN HAVE A TATTOO!"

"That's why mine's prettier." She was grinning now, "Any tattoo is prettier than no tattoo…" I cocked an eyebrow at her. She grinned wider and Demi just shook her head sadly. I don't know if she was serious about the tattoo thing…

Yumi started with the ball. She passed it to Demi, avoiding Ulrich who was looking for any excuse to tackle her. I intercepted the pass and dribbled down the field towards Serenity. I shot the ball into the upper left corner.

She jumped up, grabbed the ball, landed and rolled head over heels a couple times, then got up and drop kicked it to Demi who took it and scored.

"What did I tell you? Exactly like field hockey except the balls bigger and there's no coach Dawn." She told me, grinning. I gave her a pouty look and she laughed.

Ulrich had the ball and was dribbling down the field. He passed it to me and I passed it back. As soon as the ball touched his foot Demi, Yumi, and Serenity tackled him to the ground. They were all laughing, even Ulrich. I just stood and watched, laughing harder than anyone.

After that the game went on and when we stopped because it was getting dark the score was girls 4, guys 1. And we only got a goal 'cause I "accidentally" tackled Serenity when Ulrich was shooting.

Yumi said goodbye and the rest of us headed towards the dorm building.

"Did you ever think of playing soccer" I asked Serenity.

"No, it always had practice the same time as field hockey."

"If it was at a different time would you play?"

"That depends…would I get to be on your team?"

Our eyes caught for a second, then I slid mine back to my feet.

"So… do you really have a tattoo?"

"My brother doesn't even know the answer to that question…"

"Does Demi?"

"Possibly…"

"So… is that a yes or no?"

"It's a no comment…I haven't seen my brother for 3 ½ years so … take your best guess."

I looked over at Ulrich and mouthed, "What do you think?"

He pointed at his stomach. "Well, she has a belly button ring, why not a tattoo?"

"Have you seen any trace of a tattoo on her?" I mouthed back.

His eyes widened and his eyebrows went up. I took that to mean, " dude, she's not my girlfriend… I'm not checking her for tattoos…"

I mouthed screaming, "SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND…yet."

"Yet?" he cocked an eyebrow. I grinned at him and returned to talking to Serenity.

...

"Hi Serenity," Odd said as he stepped into the clearing.

"Hey," Serenity said as she watched Kiwi and Mocha run around, chasing each other.

"Did you know there's a dance tomorrow night?" Odd asked.

"Yeah, I was helping Demi with some stuff about it 'cause she joined the dance committee." Serenity said, putting her thumbs in her front belt buckles.

"Do you think you'd like to go with me?" Odd said quietly, blushing.

"Oh…" Serenity said biting her lower lip. "I'd love to go with you, I really would but my bands playing and I have to, you know, be a part of it. Don't worry Matt and I will figure something out…"

"Ok, so I'll see you there?" Odd said as Serenity's watch beeped 12.

"Yeah, listen, I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow, so I'm gonna head in, ok?"

"That's fine, bye Serenity."

"See ya," she called as she ran back to the dorm building, Mocha in her arms.

...

The dance will definitely be in the next chapter. Sorry I'm running out of time so I couldn't squeeze it into this one. Fun dance last Friday. WHOOT, WHOOT! Anyway I don't have to add any more scenes for a bit so hopefully the next update will be faster. And thanks for all the reviews, I appreciate them, they really make my day. Ok last thing real quick, it's really late like 1 in the morning but I promised myself I'd do this tonight so that is my only excuse for any part sucking, seeming rushed, or having bad grammar. Also if you want me to update faster, I'd highly suggest reviewing. Toodles for now...

Updated: 10/27/10 - Katie


	8. Dance

I realized some things: 1st, that Ulrich, Odd, and Jeremy are in the 9th grade and Yumi is in the tenth. However I couldn't have them that young here because it wouldn't let my story line work so I adapted. Also the scipizoa and sector 5 appear in the 2nd season when they know something about Franz hopper and Aelita has been materialized with the virus but again it didn't fit my story line so I adapted. Just so you know Aelita will be materialized but I don't think good ol' Franz will be included. It would just make it more confusing.

Now in correspondence to reviews

Fallen Star Rises: thanks, I'd love to own Code Lyoko!

Marta: as always you never fail to miss the obvious, yes I did tackle you and yes I am rather fond of tackling but you miss the point. I got a lot more injured than you did because my arms and knees were already scraped and bleeding from basketball. Don't be a baby, you don't hear me complaining. And plus if you had just stood still and let us take a picture we wouldn't have had to tackle you!

Marta2: just because you never heard me doesn't mean I didn't say anything. You're just not in my math class, if you were you would know about the tattoo and…many…other…things

Haley: thanks for the ramen and Gatorade and you never will let the big spoon thing go will you? But thanks anyway you know exactly what I like. Yum!

Cyberviper: don't you think having your father catch you locked in a garden shed with a guy you're supposedly dating with false conclusions made by your arch enemy is enough trouble? But if you're sure I'll try. She does periodically get in trouble in the current version of the written fic but I'll try to add more…hmm…maybe I can get her arrested…

Anyway this chapter is dedicated to Silver HAWKEYE another wonderful reviewer with slightly questionable sanity but hey that can be a good thing… right Marta?

DISCLAIMER: if you haven't gotten the hint yet…no I don't own Code Lyoko because if I did I would be an old French guy in Paris and since I'm clearly not…also I don't own any of the songs played at the dance…or in people's heads…or just any random ones…

Chapter 8

5:00AM, 13 hours until the dance. Get up and get dressed. One mile run, then field hockey practice until breakfast at 8. That's Demi's and my schedule for the first part of the day.

8:00AM, 10 hours until the dance. Odd and his friends aren't even up yet. Eat breakfast of fruit salad and toast with Demi, then go shower and change out of practice clothes.

10:00 AM, 8 hours until the dance. Go with Demi to library to do homework including history project and 1500-word essay for English.

2:00 PM, 4 hours until the dance. Go back to room and play with Mocha for an hour.

3:00 PM, 3 hours until the dance. Go get Demi from the library, then head down to the cafeteria to help decorate. Say hi to Odd and friends as you put up balloons and streamers.

5:00 PM, 1 hour until the dance. Rush from fully decorated cafe to room to change, then meet everyone near Odd and Ulrich's room.

...

"Come on Jeremy you're gonna have a great time," I said.

"Ok, ok. I'll go but only because I know you'll strangle me if I don't." he said.

"Who? Me?" I said, looking innocent.

"Where are they?" Ulrich said looking at his watch.

"Dude, we have like 10 minutes to get there, chill." I said looking at my own watch.

"Don't give me that Mr. Look-at-my-watch-every-5-seconds." Ulrich said looking at his watch again.

"I know you are, but what am I?"I said grinning.

"Speak of the devil," Jeremy said as the girls came around the corner, talking and laughing.

On the day I was born, the nurses all gathered 'round

And they gazed in wide wonder, at the joy they had found

The head nurse spoke up, and she said leave this one alone

She could tell right away, that I was bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

B-B-B-B-Bad to the bone

B-B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-B-Bad

Bad to the bone

She had traded her white hip huggers for a white jean mini skirt, her red corset tube top for a red tube top with sequins, her silver hoop earrings for red glittery hoops.

I broke a thousand hearts, before I met you

I'll break a thousand more baby, before I am through

I wanna be yours pretty baby, yours and yours alone

I'm here to tell ya honey, that I'm bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-Bad

Bad to the bone

To top it off she had a delicate ruby and silver rose pendant strung around her neck and silver bangles on both wrists and her right ankle.

Demi looked good too with a jean mini skirt, sky blue agogo boots that went up to her knee, and a sky blue tank top. Sky blue bangles and dangly earrings completed the look.

Yumi still had the half Goth thing going on with a black mini skirt and a black tank top with a design on it made of gold glitter. She had gold hoops and gold bangles for jewelry.

"Hey," Serenity said.

"Hi," I managed to say. Serenity smiled, "come on we can't be late." She took my arm and started pulling me towards the door.

She pulled me all the way to the cafe; my legs didn't seem to want to cooperate. When we went in she got pulled into a hug with three girls. That must be the band. She hugged them all then went to shake a guy's hand. She motioned me over and intros were said.

First there was Stacy. She played the drums. She had blonde, curly hair that went down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a jean skirt with an electric blue, sequiny halter-top. Her hair was up in a high ponytail. Next was Diana a raven-haired, very tall, bass player. She was wearing a jean skirt with a sequiny black tank top. Then, Holiday; vibrant red hair and an electric guitar. She was wearing a jean skirt with a pink one- sleeved shirt. Then finally the guy: very tall with messy black hair and green eyes named Matt.

I helped Serenity and the rest of them set up. Matt, it turns out, plays the electric guitar.

After helping set up I went into the corner and watched Jewelz warm up.

Serenity called out to one of her field hockey friends, a medium sized girl with blonde hair, "hi Angie!" the girl waved from the arm of a handsome brown haired boy.

Demi came up on the stage and talked to Serenity for a bit, then Serenity went over and talked to Matt for a while. He looked over her shoulder at me and I grinned back at him.

They both smiled as he said something and then she laughed. Jealousy rose up inside me. Calm down, I told myself. They're just talking. She left him and went back to Demi talking at what appeared to be hyper-speed. This is when the ability to read lips would come in handy.

Demi left the stage and Serenity joined the band in a football huddle, which ended with them all nodding. They all went to their instruments and Holiday took the mic.

"Hi y'all," she spoke into the mic. "We're Jewelz and we're ready to have a great time. How 'bout you?" The now crowded cafe erupted with cheers. "K…Stacy if you will…"

"1, 2…. a 1, 2, 3, 4" Stacy said, keeping rhythm with her sticks tapping in the air. They launched into their first song. (A/N I always imagined them sounding like a cross between Care Bears on Fire and The Matches)

…

"Ok guys, we're going to take a break but don't worry you won't be without music." Serenity said into the mic, motioning to a large sound system behind Stacy that I hadn't noticed before. Matt pressed a couple buttons and it blasted out Black Eyed Peas.

Serenity hopped off the stage and after another group huddle with the band, headed over towards me. "Hey." She said when she reached me.

….

So sorry (ducks rotten fruit thrown by angry mob) but I had to cut it short here. Don't be too mad. I promise I'll get the rest out soon. Oh and since it took me a week to get this far more realizations and review answers.

First realization: boys and girls dorms are on different floors. Yep that's true…for the show, not here. In this they're mixed and Serenity and Demi's dorms are down the hall, turn a corner, and go down that hall away from Odd and Ulrich's. I'm sorry it's confusing but it had to be this way for a future scene. So deal with it.

Crap… I had another one and now I can't remember…You're going to have to wait until next time.

Anonymous: sorry but no kissing yet, well at least not like making out. There will be but not right at this moment…though there is a little moment…I don't want to give away too much.

If I sound rather sketchy it's because I'm sugar deprived and grumpy. Anyway…668 people read and more people read the 3rd chapter than the 2nd…hmm, seems I'm not the only one with sugar deprivation. Anyway toodles for now and review for me to hurry up because I'm bored and otherwise I won't.

Updated: 10/30/10- Katie


	9. Dance 2

I know, I know, I'm mean for putting a cliffy in. I'm going as fast as I can and not having any sports is helping but I'm not promising anything. Except maybe that I'm trying. But hey, I have a life and my parents cut me down to one hour on the computer unless it's homework. Stupid bonding obsessed parents…. (Laughs evilly and rubs hands together, plotting revenge) sorry!…If I do that again hit me with a shovel or something. Ok, so now on to the disclaimer and the rest of the usual crap….

DISCLAIMER: NO! I DO NOT OWN CODE LYOKO! AND I'M NOT AN OLD, FAT, FRENCH GUY EITHER! SO STOP ASKING! Oh and I also don't own any of these songs…

This chapter is dedicated to Cyberviper, another nice reviewer.

Chapter 9

"These guys are awesome," I greeted her.

"I'm sure they appreciate you saying that." She said, leaning on the wall next to me.

"So….this Matt guy…" I started cautiously.

"He's a friend and Demi's date. See?" she said, pointing to where Matt and Demi were dancing. "Why? Jealous?" she said, teasing.

"Me? No way…in fact he's probably jealous of me…" I said quickly.

Serenity chuckled quietly, then grabbed my hand and said, "Ooo I love this song…come on!" she pulled me off the wall and started dancing. I joined in and we danced until that song ended and the next one started. It was a slow song.

Serenity looked over and glared at Stacy, Holiday, and Diana as they tried to sneak off the stage unnoticed. They realized they were caught and waved at Serenity, evil grins pasted on their faces.

Ulrich and Yumi were dancing, as well as Matt and Demi. "Come on we better dance or they'll just put another one on." she said.

She put her hands on my shoulders, I put my hands on her hips, and we danced. We danced for the whole song. She looked me in the eyes the whole time, grinning, except for once when she looked over my shoulder and started laughing, then stopped and sadly shook her head. When we turned I saw what was so funny. Holiday, Stacy, and Diana were jumping up and down and silently cheering.

The song ended and we quickly let go. Some Gwen Stefini song came on. Serenity was laughing and she pointed across the cafe when I asked what was funny. I looked and saw that Stacy, Holiday, and Diana had surrounded Jeremy and were dragging him in to the middle of the dance floor. He resisted at first, then gave up and let them drag him to the dance floor and danced with them hesitantly.

That song ended and Serenity said, "That's my queue I gotta go back now. I'm filming their performance; they might use some shots for their new music video. They'll probably want me to help them pack up after they're done too. Meet you when it's over?"

"I'll be right here when you get back." I replied, leaning against the wall again.

...

9 songs left before the dance is over. I steadied the hand with the video camera in it but both my hands had started shaking so badly that I was forced to set it down on its tripod again. They started into the first song…

I'd have to tell him eventually…before this progresses any farther…but not tonight.

"We need to talk." I can't say it like that. That phrase is never followed by anything good. Those words in that order cause panic in whoever is receiving them. How should I put it? "I need to tell you something." That doesn't work either, sounds like the beginning line in a soap opera.

I'm going to have to think about this more later, before I drive myself crazy.

If I tell him I know he will want nothing to do with me and then They will be very angry. But if I don't tell him, am I the monster that They made me? I don't want to be that person. I want to get out of this with my humanity intact.

The final chord was hit and the show was over. The band smiled and bowed. I searched the crowd with my eyes. I finally found Odd near Jeremy, clapping like a maniac. I helped the band pack up, hugged Stacy , Holiday, and Diana again, and said goodbye, then jumped off the stage and met up with Odd.

…

I watched Serenity hop off the stage and join Odd. They talked for a bit and then she grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door. I made my way across the floor to catch Matt and get his number before he had a chance to leave. After this I was going to head back to my room and take off these goddamn boots. They looked awesome but they didn't breath and the skin on my legs, underneath the boots, was burning from residual heat.

...

That last person was Demi BTW. I hope you could tell…

I know. I'm sorry about the cliffy…(ducks more rotten fruit). (Hears the angry mob say something about pitch forks) now really I'm sure there is no need for violence with the sharp farming instruments. Ow! Hey watch where you're poking with that thing. Ow! Ow! Ow! (Runs from angry pitchforked mob). See you next time!

Updated: 10/30/2010- Katie


	10. Late Nights and Lipstick

Ok, I'm depressed now so I'm going to write and, anyway, MapleStory isn't working. If you review for this chapter could you please mention if I've dedicated a chapter to you or not because it's getting hard to tell. So on to the stuff…

DISCLAIMER: blah…. I'm out of the usual crap and reasons I have for not owning Code Lyoko so you'll just have to take my word for it.

DEDICATION: anonymous…. we don't know who you are but we still love and respect you for reviewing.

So…turn up the ipod all the way and lets do this thing

Chapter 10

"Serenity where are you taking me?"

"To the park," she replied, pulling me in a different direction.

"Why?" I asked, trying to keep up.

"We still have to walk the dogs," She said.

"But…" I stopped as we entered the clearing. There were Kiwi and Mocha lying next to each other in the grass, their leashes tied around a nearby tree to keep them close. (A/N please do NOT insert nasty thoughts here…) "How did you get him?" I asked.

"Ulrich." She said simply, kneeling down and petting them.

"What! Him too? Everyone's against me!"

"Did you see Jeremy with Holiday, Stacy, and Diana?"

"Yeah, do you think there'll be a second date?"

"Well, he has Ae…uh I mean I think they all have boyfriends…" she said, catching herself then going really fast.

"Really? Too bad, he could use more girls in his life." I said, looking at her, my eyebrows raised.

"Yeah…sure…I guess." she said, sounding rather distracted.

"Did you see Sissy? She was glaring at you and Yumi the whole dance…" I started cheerful conversation again, ignoring her distraction.

"Really? I didn't notice." She said, snapping back to attention.

Before long it was 12:00 and we were both yawning. Even the dogs didn't have their usual frisk.

I yawned really widely. "We'd better turn in."

"Yeah, come on Mocha." She said, kneeling down. Her brown puppy, though growing up fast, ran up and jumped into her arms. "Good (yawn) girl" she said.

"Bye Serenity." She kissed me very lightly on the cheek, her lips barely grazing my skin, but all the same…

"Night," She said and left.

I touched my cheek in amazement, then said, "come on Kiwi" and headed back to my dorm.

...

I opened the door and stepped inside. I saw Ulrich, his face red from scrubbing but I could still see the lip gloss on it, smeared and partially scrubbed off but still just barely visible.

"Is that lip gloss?" I asked him, snickering.

"Is that lipstick?" he asked rather irritably, motioning to my cheek.

"What's it to ya'?" I asked.

"Same thing as the lip gloss with you, none of my business." He said scrubbing some more with the towel hung around his neck. "Man, does this stuff ever come off?" he said observing himself in the mirror, then rubbing some more.

"Hey, at least yours is clear." I said examining my own face in the mirror. I was relieved to find only a small smear of red that looked like it would come off easy.

Ulrich chuckled and scrubbed harder. I grabbed a towel, wet it and, scrubbed a little. To my horror the little line smudged to a big blob.

"Is this really worth it?" I asked, after cursing and sighing, beginning to scrub again.

"Hell yeah" he replied.

"Yah, your right. If I say that again…punch me or something." I agreed.

...

I admit only girls will probably like get the problem of getting lipstick off. But for everybody else…it's freakin hard! So yeah.

Also, I hope you don't yell at me for bad fluff. Totally not my fault...I can think and plan it out and like see it in my minds eye but then it comes out lame. So in the next chapter Luna comes back into play...yay Luna!

Anyway, I'm banned from computer for 2 weeks, boohoo, so probably no updates for a while unless they leave me home alone. And then they'll have my report card and I won't be on for like a month so suffer and deal and I'm sorry that my parents are control freaks bent on taking over my life. Have fun and no more angry mobs cause it wasn't a cliffy…toodles.

Updated: 10/30/10- Katie


	11. Fun And Flirting In Lyoko

Don't yell at me in the reviews, meanies. :-p

DISCLAIMER: wow…and I thought I'd never find anyone as repetitive as Blaine…:) who is my bestest friend! Though talking to him is like talking to repetitive wallpaper but that's why we all love him.

This chapter is dedicated to Tellemicus Sundance, another reviewer, with great stories, read them!

This chapter in case you don't notice has a lot of flirting between Odd and Luna. Keep in mind that Odd doesn't know it's Serenity…you have to wonder…also they still don't know anything about Luna but they kinda let it drop cause she's an awesome shot, and they could use her help and she's Aelita's friend. Ok on to the story…

…

I watched Yumi, Odd and Ulrich virtualize and drop to the ground.

"Hi guys," I said, grabbing Luna's hand and pulling her over to them. "Look who's here with me. She came to keep me company but I'm sure she'd love to come with us."

"Hi Luna" they all said.

"Oh…hi" she said softly and fingered the tassel on her bow.

"So let's go kick some Xana butt," Odd said.

Jeremy's voice came saying, "Go Northwest. I'll send your vehicles." The three vehicles materialized. I had already briefed Luna about sector 5 and how we were going there for information today so she didn't look surprised.

"Odd, will you give her a ride?" I asked him. He smiled.

"Sure. Hop on." He said, giving her his hand and helping her hop up behind him. "Hold on." He told her as I got on behind Yumi and we started off.

Luna clung to him tightly, her arms around his waist, her face hidden behind his back "Almost there." He told her reassuringly.

"I'm typing in Scipio," Jeremy's voice said. A cream colored orb appeared and touched down. We climbed into it and were whisked off to sector 5. We stopped turning and stepped out of the orb.

Odd groaned, looking rather green. "Here," Luna said, touching her pointer finger to his forehead. (A/N Luna can bend Lyoko to her will just like Aelita only she has more power because Xana gave her more and she doesn't have to sing.(because that's really lame XD) Eventually she won't have as much power but until then she gets to have some fun.)

Instantly his face relaxed and turned to the right color. "How'd you do that?" he asked.

"Magic," she replied in her soft voice.

"Look the doors are opening." Yumi said.

"Countdown beginning." Jeremy's voice said.

"Go," Ulrich shouted and we all sprinted inside, Ulrich first, Odd second, Luna third, me, then Yumi bringing up the rear.

"Crawlers. A lot of crawlers." Jeremy's voice said.

"Great." Odd said, sarcastic. Everyone readied their weapons. Luna moved closer to me. We came into the clearing and crowded with crawlers.

I heard Odd shout "Laser Arrow!" and Ulrich shout "Impact!"

The remaining crawlers started shooting, all aimed at me. Luna grabbed me and shouted, " shield!" swirling her long, silver cloak around us.

All at once it was dark and I heard all 8 shots deflect off the shell around us. I heard Luna's soft voice next to me. "Shield down."

My eyes were flooded with light and I saw Odd and Ulrich battling with 5 crawlers. Yumi took 1 out with her fans. Luna fitted 3 arrows to her bow, aimed and shot. All hit dead center in the eye. Odd took out the last one.

"10 seconds left," Jeremy's voice said, sounding petrified.

"Up there," said Luna, pointing to a button high up on the wall near a ledge.

"We can't climb that." Odd said, frustrated.

"Teleport." Luna said softly, swirling her cloak around herself. And all at once, she wasn't there but the countdown had stopped.

"Where'd she go?" Yumi asked.

"Up here," came a voice. We all looked up to see Luna looking down at us.

"Hold on, I'm coming down. Teleport." She said, swirling her cloak again. She appeared suddenly next to Odd.

"Aak. Stop doing that!" he said, jumping. Luna laughed softly.

"Come on guys, we've got work to do, remember?" I said, walking towards the elevator.

"After you." Odd said, mock bowing. Luna laughed some more. We all jumped onto the elevator as it zipped by and jumped off at our stop. We walked out the door and to the end of the path to the edge of the 5th sector. I accessed the screen at the path's end.

"Look out, they're breaking through!" Ulrich said. They all readied themselves for the attack. Luna stepped in front of me to shield me from attacks while I was accessing the information.

The monsters hatched and started shooting. Luna shielded me while Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi killed 5 of the creatures.

Luna fitted an arrow to her bow, aimed, shot, and killed another one. Odd and Ulrich killed the last 2.

"I'm done." I said, closing the screen and turning to go. They all turned to go and were walking back towards the elevator when I saw it out of the corner of my eye. A huge ray monster, Luna saw it too. All of a sudden a huge shot came towards me.

"Look out," she cried and leapt in front of me, taking the full force of the blast.

It knocked her back into the wall and she fell to the ground, sliding down the wall, and landed, crumpled. The creature circled back around, everyone was too astonished to move. I was watching Luna as she struggled to get up. She stood, unsteady for a moment. Then, fitting an arrow into her bow, she ran forward. She shot the same time as the creature blasted her. The ray was killed and she was knocked off the edge. Still we were too astonished to move.

I craned my neck and saw she was hanging by one hand from the edge. She was struggling to hold on. Odd saw this too. "Hold on," he said, running towards her.

He reached down and caught her hand just as she let go. (A/N awww… watches Marta throw up from the gooeyness…I know crappy and lame XD)

"Come on we gotta go." Ulrich shouted at them as more rays started hatching.

"I'll send your vehicles," Jeremy's voice said. The vehicles appeared and Odd hopped onto the overboard.

"Need a lift?" he said, offering Luna his hand. She took it and took her place behind him. We raced back to the forest sector; apparently it was very late at night on earth.

Everyone said goodbye to Luna and I and devirtualized. Luna said goodbye to me and logged off and I was left alone again in Lyoko.

…

I snuck down the hall, tiptoeing as quietly as I could so Demi wouldn't hear me. Too late, I thought as I saw her leaning against my door, waiting for me. Hear it comes, I thought as I approached, not bothering to tiptoe anymore.

"Where were you?" she said, her voice rather shrill.

"Oh…um…here and there." I replied nervously.

"I looked everywhere. I thought you had had been murdered and buried or something." She said, her voice getting shriller and shriller as she got more and more angry.

"Did you look in the library?" I asked, searching, my mind for a way out.

"Yes."

"The field?"

"Yes."

"The park?"

"Ye…no" she said, finally defeated. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh… that's where I was…" Demi glared at me.

"I was with Odd…" was my not entirely untrue answer. Instantly her face relaxed and she looked positively delighted.

"Ooo, what were you doing in the park with Odd?" she asked.

"None of your business." I said crossing my arms and then seeing the smug 'oh that' expression on her face continued. "We weren't doing anything like that! Everyone else was there. What do you take me for?"

"Hm-mm," she said, obviously not believing me.

"Goddammit we didn't…" I started but she cut me off.

"Stop. Say no more." she said, and went into her own room, closing the door behind her. I sighed and went into my room.

Mocha looked at me from her napping position on my bed. I picked her up and held her in front of my face. "We didn't do anything…we weren't even in the park." I told her firmly. She licked my nose. "Thanks." I said, sarcastic, putting her on the floor and wiping the drool off my nose.

I sat down on my bed and took out the transporter. A card popped out of the side of the transporter with Demi's name on it and a picture of a blue pixie underneath. I hid the card underneath one of the drawers of my dresser and put the transporter away. It would come on handy later.

I fell back on my bed. I was exhausted from spending the whole day on Lyoko. Mocha jumped up and curled next to me. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is petting her.

…

Keep reading. Keep reviewing. Keep being wonderful.

Katie

Updated 12/19/2010- Katie


	12. Oddsicle

So on to the stuff….

Disclaimer: I still don't own it….

This one is dedicated to criticalray the newest reviewer. Welcome to the club of the mentally challenged…

It skips to December 20 you will just have to imagine what happened but don't imagine anything like…that…We're saving that for later. ;D

…

I should have worn gloves, I thought, blowing on my hands and rubbing them together. It was getting very cold outside these days but it hadn't snowed yet. I wish it would snow, I thought shoving my hands into my pockets. The Christmas formal thing was this Friday. Does she want me to ask her? I wonder. Normally I find it easy to guess what people are thinking but she's different. She's spontaneous and wild but that's why she's cool.

I walked faster so that Kiwi had to trot swiftly to keep up. He barked in protest. "Yeah. Well, you have fur," I told him. He didn't reply because just then we both heard, "Mocha come back!"

I saw Mocha burst out of the bushes running towards us. Kiwi ran towards her and they clashed in midair, banging off each other and flying backwards.

"Idiots." I said, shaking my head sadly.

"Are they ok?" Serenity asked, carefully pushing her way through some bushes.

"Does that answer your question?" I asked as the both dogs ran over to her and wagged their tails like no tomorrow.

"Pathetic," I commented when they followed her as she walked over to me.

Kneeling down she said, "hey Kiwi," and upon hearing his name he came over and licked her face.

"Traitor," I said, kicking him lightly.

"Odd, don't be so mean," she said, checking to make sure both dogs were ok. Ok just ask her, I thought to myself.

"So…um…the Christmas formal thing is this Friday." That wasn't what you were supposed to say! I mentally smacked myself.

"Yep" she said, standing up and brushing off her pants.

Gulp, I thought. She leaned on one hip, her arms folded, looking at me with slight amusement. "So…. um… doyouwannagowithme?" I blurted out quickly.

"Sure." She said, not even fazed.

"Cool." I said, relaxing. Well now that that's done…I thought. She was staring at Mocha absentmindedly. I wondered what she was thinking about.

I really couldn't feel my hands now. I rubbed them together and blew on them some more. I looked at them and saw that they were a pale, ghostly white. I stuck them back into my pockets.

"Odd, let me see your hands," Serenity ordered. I reluctantly pulled them from my pockets and showed them to her. She quickly slipped off her gloves and put them on my hands. She smiled and said, "We wouldn't want you to get frostbite."

I smiled back at her and said, "Thanks." She didn't answer though because Mocha was biting the bottom hem of her pant leg.

"Bad girl Mocha, no!" she said. She picked her up and turned her around. She set her back on the ground and said, "Look! There Kiwi, go get him!" I looked at my hands. Even though the white gloves were the kind with the fingertips cut off they were quite warm and my hands were slowly turning back to their original color. "It's getting really cold out, you should wear more clothes." Serenity said, turning back to me.

"I know, I know…. but maybe it'll snow soon," I replied. I noticed that over her usual clothes she was wearing a red hooded ski jacket and a white scarf. I also saw that she had traded her usual strappy sandals for knee high, red leather boots that buckled over her pants. I glanced up and saw she was looking at me with a rather worried expression. I realized I was shivering.

She took her scarf off and wound it around my neck. "I'll wear a jacket next time," I assured her.

"And gloves," she chided, smiling but her eyes were still worried.

"No, really, I'm ok now." I said, trying to stop shivering and failing.

"No you're not. Look at you! We're going inside right now before you turn into an Oddsicle." She said. She grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the dorm building, the dogs following her. She dragged me back to my dorm. I picked up Kiwi and put him in the room.

Serenity picked up Mocha and bid me goodbye. I watched her as she walked down the hall and turned left. I went back inside my room where Ulrich was reading a soccer magazine.

"Dude, why are you wearing girl clothes?" he asked, regarding me as if I had 6 heads.

"I was cold," I answered.

"Is that why you're in so early?" he asked, losing interest in my apparel and prying for once.

"Maybe," I said, being difficult. He just shrugged and went back to reading his magazine. I took off Serenity's gloves and scarf and hung them on my bedpost. I'd give them back later. I changed into my pajamas and put my headphones on. I dove into bed and listened to Nirvana until I fell asleep.

…

Ok 1st announcement…. I'm officially into the notebook part of my story notebook. (It's a long painful story)

2nd: I admit this is mostly a filler chapter but the dance part is fairly important. And I'm really sorry I meant to update last week but turns out I'm grounded for unknown reasons. I'm also sorry that this chapter is so short I'm still grounded and my parents are out for an half hour with my little sister so I'm frantically typing for all I'm worth. Please don't kill me! I'll try not to get grounded again.

3rd: (last one I promise) I've definitely decided to do the Naruto fanfic and I'm super excited! So until next time I'm off to create character profiles.

Katie

Updated 12/19/2010- Katie


	13. Snowday!

Yeah I know I haven't updated in like forever but give me a break I have a life… so straight to the stuff…

Disclaimer: you guys are clueless

This chapter is dedicated to all reviewers. I love my reviewers. XD

News flash- I hit the 1000 mark on people who've read my story! Thanks so much everyone.

Ok story time….

…

I awoke with a start to someone knocking on my door. More like pounding on the door, I thought to myself. I had fallen asleep with my music was on and I could still hear it. "Odd, open the door. I know you're in there." I heard Serenity scream. I yanked my headphones off, rushed over and opened the door so fast she fell into me.

"Oops. Sorry." She said, getting off me.

"Good morning." I said, cheerfully.

" Do you know what today is?" she asked.

"Um…Tuesday?"

"Yes and…?"she prodded.

"December 21st?"

"Yes and…?" She said teasing me.

"I don't know, spit it out woman!"

"A snow day!"

"Really?" I asked, brimming with excitement.

She nodded.

"Will you guys shut up already?" Ulrich said throwing a pillow in our general direction. He took another pillow and turned towards the wall, putting it over his head.

(A/N ok it randomly changes to narrator pov here. I don't know why. Well I suppose I did at 1 point but I wrote this in September and my memory's not that good. Give me a break here.)

"Do you mind, we're trying to have a conversation here." Odd said. This resulted in another pillow from Ulrich.

"I think we'd better go before he throws the bed at us." Serenity said.

"Right. Just wait here a sec." He grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Serenity sat down on Odd's bed and looked around. She noticed her scarf and gloves hanging at the head. Just then Odd came out of the bathroom, fully dressed.

"Starting a shrine?" she asked him teasingly, gesturing to her things.

"Oh um no. I was um making sure I didn't um forget to give them back. So um here." He said giving them to her. "If it's snowing you're going to need those anyway." He said, heading for the door.

"Oh no you don't." she said, jumping in front of the door to stop him from leaving.

"What now?"

"Jacket." She ordered.

Odd sighed then went to his closet and pulled out a purple ski jacket. Putting it on he looked up and said, "Ok, happy? Now move!"

"Gloves," she said, still pressing her back against the door. Grumbling, Odd crawled under his bed and re-emerged holding a pair of dark purple gloves. He put them on and twirled around so Serenity could inspect him. "Ok, now we can go." She said, removing herself from the door.

"Yes," Odd said and rushed out into the hall, running to the hall.

"Demi, Yumi, and Jeremy are already outside, Ulrich. Are you sure you don't want to come?" Serenity asked. She saw him perk up at the mention of Yumi's name.

"Yeah, ok, I'll be right out." He said, getting out of bed.

"Ok, I'll see you then.

She said, closing the door and running after Odd.

This is rather short. At least I didn't make my own version of another Christmas carol, right?

Huggles Katie

Updated 12/19/2010- Katie


	14. SNOWBALL FIGHT!

Disclaimer: Um yeah I can't think of any good excuse for why I don't own code Lyoko so you'll just have to trust me.

This chapter is dedicated to all the Goth chicks out there because you scare the hell out of me. And I HATE YOU KELLY. Eh hem. Anyhoo on to the story!

…

I stepped outside and was instantly blinded by the sun's reflection on the clean white snow. It was roughly waist height and it was still snowing peacefully. The wind was blowing the snow in all direction but it wasn't a full blown blizzard yet so maybe Yumi would still show up.

I walked out into the snow, breathing in the cold, fresh air and breaking my own path to a bench. I sat down and looked around, taking in the beautiful winter scene. I felt a snowball hit the back of my head.

"Hey!" I said, turning around and brushing the snow off.

"Sorry Jeremy I couldn't resist." Demi said, running up with Serenity. I cursed under my breath as I felt some snow slip into my jacket and slide down my back.

"Good morning to you too." Serenity said sarcastically, grinning slightly.

"Are Odd and Ulrich up yet?" I asked her, standing up and taking off my jacket to shake the snow out of my shirt.

"No, I'll go get them." Serenity said, walking back through the snow towards the dorms.

Seconds later I heard, "hey guys." I looked over to see Yumi wading towards Demi and me. Serenity waved from her position of nearly at the dorm building. I watched her open the dorm building door and rush inside.

Yumi reached the bench and she and Demi sat down on either side of me, waiting for Serenity, Odd, and Ulrich to come out.

Lots of other students came out, and Jim, sporting a huge, ridiculous, orange parka and matching balaclava. Sissy even came out, followed by Herb and Nicolas as usual. Jim was walking around and muttering something about life threatening blizzards.

Just then Odd came bursting through the dorm building doors and was running towards us when Serenity tackled him from behind, forcing him into the snow. There was a struggle but by the time Ulrich came out they both standing by the bench, though they were covered in snow.

Ulrich came out of the dorm building to meet a snowball in the side of the head thrown by Yumi. He threw one that hit Odd, who tackled Serenity as revenge for before, who tackled Demi. Then Ulrich dumped snow on Yumi who tackled him. It wasn't long before Serenity's cry of; "SNOW FIGHT!" rang through the courtyard.

Snowballs were flying everywhere as other students joined in. I sat on the bench and tried to avoid getting hit by stray throws. I watched as my friends split up into teams, boys verses girls. I watched as the girls built a fort and set up inside it with one girl making snowballs and two throwing them. They switched spots often, until Odd and Ulrich knocked the fort walls on top of them by throwing themselves against the fort.

Just then Sissy came out of the administrations building followed by Jim and the principle. Everyone stopped throwing snowballs and listened with guilty faces as they were lectured on the dangers of snowballs. Until…. Wham! Jim was hit, then the principle, even Sissy…and no one knows who did it…. (Odd cough and cough Serenity cough cough). Anyway they all ran inside, leaving the delinquents to their sport.

The snowball continued all day long but without us. We all went inside and changed into dry clothes, then met up in the cafeteria for lunch.

…

That's all there is there isn't any more…at least not right now. I'm not even going to bother telling you to review its not worth the effort nobody reads this part anyway.

Updated 12/19/2010 - Katie


	15. To The Mall We Go! happy bday marta!

Ok…erm…. sorry it took so long to update I meant to update on the weekend before Memorial Day but as usual my parents were being all parentish…. So anyway I'll try my bestest to make this a fairly long chapter…I'm going to try to get them on the bus and at the mall, just for you. Ok erm…in reply to some of the reviews…(murmurs) strange strange people…

Big Green Eyes – I didn't mean you, I luuuurve all my readers…I meant my cousin…so just ignore that part…and thanks I really enjoy writing this…. even though it sometimes doesn't seem like it….

BinkaWV- thanks. It's nice to know somebody reads these. I'm glad you like the story and try not to worry about me never updating again…Haley would kill me….

Haley-Demi- slacker! Every time you review they get shorter and shorter! Meanwhile I'm working my butt off trying to keep this going and not fail school and be a softball star…tsk tsk…I mean look at Marta! Hers get longer!

Marta- yeah, yeah with the grammar and mechanics….Geez I'm not Acing English so pipe down, will ya? Anyway (beams) bloody brilliant job on the reviewing and such…I'm actually almost finished writing this story and then I get to start the Naruto one. Yay!

Author's Advisor- yay! Someone appreciates my fluff efforts. Thank you very, very much.

Jarkobubbles84- several things for you, both good and bad. . Marta's right you do sound like Justin. I'm glad that you like the story, thanks for the great rating, and all that jazz, blah blah blah. Also yay for the uber long review.

Anyway now to the story!

Well…the disclaimer and then the story…

I don't under any circumstances own any part of Code Lyoko or its characters or its plot lines or jello brand gelatin…so…yeah….

NOW on to the story….

…

We got our lunches and took our usual seats at a table in the corner of the cafe. Odd was gobbling his food as usual as the rest of us tried to have a decent conversation. Well, at least the girls did.

We were talking about the formal dance and such. The topic moved to the trip to the mall the students were going on tomorrow. "That's when I'm getting my dress." Demi said, finishing her jello.

"Moi aussi," I said. (A/N don't ask me why I randomly went to French here. I wrote this in September so I really honestly have no clue. I'm crazy. That's my only excuse. Oh and if I spelled that correctly which isn't likely, it means me too or me as well… back to the story. Quick! Before I say something stupid!)

"Me three," Yumi said. Then we turned on the boys who had been sitting there, awkwardly silent, for the entire time. "You are coming, aren't you?" Yumi said, looking rather scary behind the innocent mask.

"No…" Odd and Jeremy started, but Ulrich cut them off, "yes, of course, wouldn't miss it for the world." Yumi had him trained well…

They pulled into a little sort of football huddle. I heard Ulrich say, "Do you know what will happen if we say we aren't going?" Good thing he's smart.

There was silence for a couple beats then Odd said, " right…. then…I'm going."

Jeremy replied, "I'm not. I'm not even going to the dance, so why should I?"

There was more silence that I interrupted. "You are to going to the dance. I got you a date and everything."

He looked at me with pure terror and stuttered, "w-what? Who? W-w-w-w-why?"

I answered them in order, ticking them off on my fingers as I went along, "a date. For you. It's a secret. And because I'm a nice person." He slumped in defeat. Everything was going perfectly to plan…MWUHAHAHAHA…. (A/N forget the evil laugh I'm just kidding around with you people)

I glanced at Yumi. I would need her help to pull it off, which meant I would have to tell her. Lovely. I sighed. I caught Odd staring at me, a questioning expression in his eyes. I stuck out my tongue at him. He grinned at me and stuck his tongue out as well.

"Serenity, I'm going to the library to do homework, you coming with?" Demi said, gathering her things.

"Sure," I said.

We dumped our trays and went back to our rooms to get our books. I got my bag and met up with Demi. We walked to the library in relative silence. Judging by how full my bag was I'd be there for the rest of the day. We sat down and got to work.

(A/N I could stop writing right now…but I'm not going to. I'm going to try to keep going because I'm just cool like that….)

…

I woke up bright and early at exactly 5, but I wasn't very happy about it. So after throwing my alarm clock against the wall, which didn't help, I got up and after turning the alarm clock off to stop the incessant beeping, and amazingly enough finding it unharmed, started searching for clothes. After putting on the usual tube top and jeans and so on I started searching my drawers for my purse.

Finding it I took the money my uncle had sent me and the money in my purse and added it up. 75$. Good, I had enough with a little to spare. I took all the money and put it in a different purse. It hung at my hip and was made of white leather, rectangular in shape, with fringe on the bottom.

By then Mocha was up from her pink beanbag in my closet where she slept. I let her out of the closet, fed and watered her, then sat down on the floor. The mall opened at 8. The bus would be here at 7:30. I looked at my watch, 5:45. I sighed. There was a knock on my door. I got up and opened it to reveal Demi, fully dressed, but with a hairbrush in hand.

"You too?" she said, sounding sympathetic.

"Yeah," I replied. "Come in." I said, closing the door behind her.

"So," she said, brushing her hair.

"So," I replied.

She examined herself in the mirror and, finding no error in her ruler straight part, turned to me. "Jeremy, Yumi," she asked.

"Odd, Ulrich," I replied.

"6 o'clock." Demi commented as my watch beeped.

"Yep."

I left the closet door open for Mocha. Then we left the room, Demi closing the door behind her.

Ok listen I'm like super sorry I wanted to do more but my mom says I have to go sleep or do homework or some other stupid useless activity…I'll try my hardest to update soon but I wanted to update today to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTA! Now everybody say "happy b-day Marta!" Yay! Anyway r&r please and thank you.

Update 12/19/2010 - Katie


	16. It Is A Girl, Right?

Ugh I'm getting really aggravated with this.

I'm definitely putting the writing part on temporary hiatus and focusing on the typing part. This is because I've almost totally lost the whole state of the story line (ppl who r not authors might not understand this…its basically I've lost the whole feel of the story and therefore need to reacquaint myself with it.) also I've been rereading parts to try to get into it again and I keep saying things like "oh I could have done this bit better" and "I don't like how I did this scene/dialogue". So after the lengthy amount of excuses I'm going to be focusing on revising the parts I don't like.

I'm not putting the whole story on hiatus cause I know that I hate it when ppl do that to me so u guys would probably hate it too.

I've been browsing a bit for inspiration and it seems to me like everyone's abandoning their stories, putting them on permanent hiatus till next year or giving them to someone else to finish…kinda depressing really…anyway I really meant to update a while ago but I've been babysitting the kids from hell (cousins) and I don't really get any time to myself (and I really don't want them reading over my shoulder as I type/write. I hate that!) And I've been like totally stuck. But I'll try to push through it.

I'm writing a little mini-story on the side and I just posted the 1st bit. So if Ur into Naruto R&R for me and I'd really appreciate it. Wow long starting authors note…oh well on to the usual stuff…

DISCLAIMER: I'm getting tired of this….

DEDICATION: dedicated to…. my inner self, whose voice greatly resembles Haley's when its nagging me…who's forced me into trying to push through the writers block…

On to the story!

RECAP (cause otherwise it doesn't make sense!)

NEXT DAY SERENITY POV

I woke up bright and early at exactly 5, but I wasn't very happy about it. So after throwing my alarm clock against the wall, which didn't help, I got up and after turning the alarm clock off to stop the incessant beeping, and amazingly enough finding it unharmed, started searching for clothes. After putting on the usual tube top and jeans and so on I started searching my drawers for my purse.

Finding it I took the money my uncle had sent me and the money in my purse and added it up. $75. Good, I had enough with a little to spare. I took all the money and put it in a different purse. It hung at my hip and was made of white leather, rectangular in shape, with fringe on the bottom.

By then Mocha was up from her pink beanbag in my closet where she slept. I let her out of the closet, fed and watered her, then sat down on the floor. The mall opened at 8. The bus would leave at 7:30. I looked at my watch, 5:45. I sighed. There was a knock on my door. I got up and opened it to reveal Demi, fully dressed, but with a hairbrush in hand.

"You too?" she said, sounding sympathetic.

"Yeah," I replied. "Come in." I said, closing the door behind her.

"So," she said, brushing her hair.

"So," I replied.

She examined herself in the mirror and, finding no error in her ruler straight part, turned to me. "Jeremy, Yumi," she asked.

"Odd, Ulrich," I replied.

"6 o'clock." Demi commented as my watch beeped.

"Yep."

I left the closet door open for Mocha. Then we left the room, Demi closing the door behind her.

END OF RECAP!

CONTINUING WHERE MY MOTHER RUDELY CUT ME OFF!

Most people don't get the way Demi and I communicate. We have to use little or no words to reach an understanding. That's how I knew I had to get Odd and Ulrich up, ready, fed, and at the bus stop at the right time while Demi did the same thing for Jeremy and made sure Yumi got here on time by calling her cell like every 5 minutes.

I walked down the hall and turned the corner, then walked down that hall and stopped in front of their room. I knocked saying through the door, "are you decent enough for me to come in without being scarred for life?"

"Great job Odd, your girlfriend's a morning person," I heard Ulrich groan.

"Come in," said Odd, ignoring Ulrich.

"I prefer to think of myself as an all day person." I said, coming in and closing the door behind me.

They both groaned. " Come on. Get up." I said nudging them in the ribs. They both turned over simultaneously.

With a lot of poking, pillow whacking and eventually shouting, I managed to get them out of bed. They grabbed their stuff and I pushed them out the door.

I pushed them down the hall to the boy's showers. I pushed them through the door then waited out with Demi who had gotten there before me.

"I think I got the harder job." I said, leaning against the wall to the right of the door.

"No way! Do you know how hard it is to pull Jeremy away from his computer?" she said, leaning next to me.

"Fair enough." I said, shrugging. She grinned and pulled out her cell.

15 minutes later the guys came out dressed and looking much more awake. Demi was on the phone so I took the liberty of rounding them up and shoving them in the general direction of the cafeteria.

Yumi was sitting at the table with her food already. We got our food quickly, since it was still early and there was no line, and joined her.

The girls were discussing how much money they had and where they had gotten it ($5 from babysitting, $20 from parents, ex…). The boys were again in an awkward silence, concentrating on eating their food.

At 7:00 everybody in grade 7 and 8 started coming in to get breakky (pronounced break-key: translation breakfast).

After dragging Odd from his 6th helping of bacon, we went outside and sat on some benches from which we could see the bus when it came.

Jeremy was groaning about Demi not letting him take his laptop.

"Don't be a baby. A few hours without it will do you good," She told him. He pouted at that.

"So, Serenity, whose Jeremy's secret date?" Odd asked, pestering.

"It wouldn't be a secret if I told you," I said, sweetly.

"Just tell me who it is." He said, sighing.

"No!" I said, all sweetness disappearing.

"Whoa. No need to go all PMS on me" He said. I glared at him.

"Com'on…" he whined.

"No!" I cut him off, "you will just have to wait and be surprised like everyone else…"

I glanced at Yumi and grinned. She grinned back.

"Humph" Odd said, pouting.

"Now look what you did." Demi said, looking at Jeremy and Odd.

"They'll get over it." I said, grinning slightly. I glanced over at the bus stop. "Hey, the bus is here!"

We all got up and walked over to the bus stop, joining the line of people waiting to board.

"Alright everyone, fill all the seats!" Jim said, loudly.

We went all the way to the back. (A/N I have the cutest little diagram for the bus seating described here. However since you guys can't see the diagram I have tried to describe it as best I can but please let me know if it confusing to u and I'll try to help. Also…it's an irregular bus.) Yumi, Demi, and I sat on the very back seat. Ulrich, Jeremy, and Odd sat in the 3 seats facing us. (A/N that seems awfully confusing to me…here's some more description stuff to help. There're 8 seats against the back of the bus. The 3 that are closest to the wall on each side have 3 seats facing them. The 2 seats in the middle face the aisle. The rest of the bus is pretty much normal with sets of 3 seats facing forward. I hope that helps. But then again I'm not good at explaining things so probably not…)

As 7:30 approached more and more of the seats filled up. When all the seats were filled Jim stood up in the front of the bus and, after commanding silence, began to lecture us on mall safety and rules.

At 7:55 the bus finally started moving.

"But Serenity, who is it?" Jeremy and Odd chimed together. I had just put my Ipod in so I smiled and pretended I couldn't hear them.

YUMI POV

I watched as Odd and Jeremy stopped trying to get Serenity to talk and rounded on Demi.

"No, I really don't know!" I heard her exclaim.

"Yumi, do you know?" Odd asked me.

"No clue," I said, rather dryly. I really didn't like lying especially not to my friends. They gave up asking and started listing between them all the girls it could be.

"It is a girl right?" Odd asked Serenity, suddenly. She gave him a weird look. "Ha! I knew you could hear me!"

"What?" she said taking one earpiece out.

"I officially hate you." Odd said very seriously.

"Cool." Serenity replied, not phased.

"Urgh!" Odd cried out in frustration. Serenity smiled sweetly and put her earpiece back in, nodding along with the music.

He went back to the list, which Demi was now adding to.

"It could be Diana, Holiday, or Stacy." She said.

How are we going to pull this off? I wondered. I sighed and stared out the window at everything flashing by.

I felt like someone was watching me. I looked up to find Ulrich staring at me. Seeing me looking back at him he blushed and quickly looked out the window. I stared at him for a minute then went back to looking out the window.

This was going to be a long day.

YES! 5 pages! Go Katie! Anyway next time they'll definitely be at the mall. Fun stuff. Wow 2 updates in one day. I'm kicking ass! Anyway this one was a medium length. So no complaining. I might update again tomorrow too! If I'm still on a sugar high and very very happy like right now! Yay! R&R just for me :) bibi luuurve and Huggles Katie


	17. Mall fun

Ok! Wow I haven't updated in a looong time… sorry 'bout that. I wasn't inspired. I'm still not for that matter but I figure I owe it to you guys to try to post something. Even though some of you are not here! (You know who u r. and I hate u for abandoning me…) anyhoo…um… oh yeah they're at the mall and stuff so lets get this started, shall we?

DISCLAIMER: yeah…no…

DEDICATON…whatever…

Story time! Duh duh duh duh. Duhduh. Duhduh.

MALL: SERENITY POV

When we finally reached the mall it was just opening. We all went inside and crowded around the map. After that we were off to a clothing/jewelry store. The boys were banished to the guy section and told not to buy anything until we got there. The girls flocked over to the dresses.

After about an hour of trying things on in front of the mirror we all had our dresses. Yumi and I had secretly picked a dress for Jeremy's date. Then we went quickly to the jewelry section and in about 15 minutes were heading over to the guys.

They hadn't tried to find anything at all and were just standing around looking lost. After about an hour everyone had something to wear. We paid and headed off to the food court.

Demi's cell rang. "Hello? Oh, hi Matt." she said, walking towards one side.

Just then Odd said, "hey Serenity, what's in that other bag?"

"Nothing for you." I replied and switched the bags to my other hand so he couldn't see.

"Hmph." he said, pouting.

I ignored him and looked around. Noticing one of my field hockey friends I waved and called out to her. "Hi Angie!" she waved back then continued walking, holding her tiny clutch as 2 boys, the one from the dance and a new one tall with dark black-brown hair, loaded with shopping bags, struggled to keep up with her as she clicked away on her high heels.

"Yum, chili cheese fries." Odd said heading towards a fast food stand on the far edge if the food court.

I sadly shook my head at him saying, "where does he put it all?"

We found a table then everyone went to get food. Odd finally came back with a huge plate of chili cheese fries. I made a funny face at him that he didn't see and everyone burst into laughter. Odd looked up, "what?" he said, making everyone laugh harder.

After lunch we went to the arcade to pass some time until the bus came back to take us home. We all headed in different directions promising to meet up in the middle in a bit.

Odd and I went over to the packman game where I beat him 5 times in a row. At 1st he kept saying, "beginners luck", but after 5 times he had to admit I was better than him cause I'm mad beastly at packman.

"Who has skill?" I gloated, as we headed to the middle of the arcade to meet up with everyone else.

"Ooo cars." Said Demi, upon arrival.

Sure enough there was 6 racing car games hooked up so that 6 people could play each other.

"I call the red Monster Truck!" I shouted taking a seat at one.

Soon we were all racing, shouting at each other to get of the way and such. The order of finishers was Ulrich, me, Demi, Jeremy, and poor Odd last.

"Odd you're worse than Jeremy," Ulrich joked.

"Hey!" Jeremy and Odd said.

Ulrich, Yumi, Demi, and I burst into laughter.

Next we all stood around and watched as Ulrich and Yumi raced in a motorcycle game. Since Yumi won Ulrich wanted a rematch but everyone was out of quarters and we were getting bored of watching them.

We checked the clock outside the arcade and found we had 45 minutes until the bus was supposed to show up. We went in to a candy store and bought some candy then went outside and sat on some benches. We talked and ate candy while we waited for the bus.

The bus finally came and we went and sat in the back where we were before. Unfortunately for us Sissy and her gang sat surrounding us.

"Hello Ulrich dear," she said in her annoying high-pitched voice.

"I'm not your Ulrich dear," he said in a bored, irritated voice.

"Oh but…" she started but I cut her off.

"Listen Sissy, unless you want me to beat up your little boyfriends again, you will turn around, sit down, and not talk to Ulrich or any of us again."

"Hmph" she said, plopping down in her seat.

I sighed and put my ipod earpiece in my ear. No good can come from that girl. Everyone was looking at me in amazement. I sighed again and pretended to be really interested in my ipod.

Well that's it for now I guess. 3 pages…not too shabby… anyway review if you feel the urge…other wise don't….i don't care…


	18. Discussions In The Night

Hey guys long time no see…well er…you know what I mean…anyway lately I've been feeling guilty because I've been totally abandoning this. So in light of that, I guess struggling through one more chapter won't kill me.

Disclaimer: do we have to go through this every time?

Dedication: Teresa my younger sister, whose constant tormenting has made me feel guilty enough to do this and my dad who has beaten me at Starcraft so many times I never want to hear the words launch, attack, or yes sir! Again with southern accents, (p. s. no offense to southern people, I love accents but after hearing them used to say the same thing over and over and over again for 4 hours straight it gets a little old.)

Wow long dedication. Oh yeah special shout out Haley whose birthday it was when I started this, all the people who continue to stick with me even though I'm a maniac, all you dedicated readers who have to deal with my slowly fading sanity, and Reeses puffs its Reeses for breakfast, only I eat them for lunch.:)

Yay story!

Oh yeah the italics in this are a flashback. Ooo the suspense. Heh.

Yumi's house: that night: Yumi pov

I checked the clock on my desk, 11:36. I got up from where I had been sleeplessly laying on my bed and got dressed as quickly and quietly as I could.

I grabbed my bag and silently opened the door to my room. Creeping through the shadows I made it out the front door where I saw Serenity waiting at the gate.

"You're late." she said, grinning, as I came closer to the gate and opened it, stepping out and closing it behind me.

"Only by like two minutes," I said.

"4 and ½." she replied, looking at her watch.

"Oh, shut up," I said, making her grin spread wider across her face.

"I got the code about an hour ago," she said as we started walking.

"How long did it take you?" I asked.

" 'Bout 7,8 hours…" she replied lazily.

"8 hours!" I exclaimed, amazed.

"Or so, I wasn't really paying attention to the clock," she said, then seeing the look on my face, "well you know, its not easy to hack into Xana's mainframe, and then I had to find the right code file which turns out needs an access code, then I had to find the code that suited the purpose and copy it to a drive disk. Not to mention the whole thing was fire walled beyond belief. It takes quite some time."

"How did you learn to hack a super computer?" I asked, rubbing my temples at the mass amount of information.

"Years of practice." She said, curtly.

"But where did you learn that? Like, who taught you?" I prompted.

Her eyes darkened and she looked down at the ground. "My brother." She said, softly.

"_So, tell us about serenity's brother…" odd said._

"_Yeah she never talks about him…" I had added._

_Demi sighed. "I hate having to be the one to tell you the story but seeing as you're not going to get it out of serenity…" _

_Her eyes looked distant. _

"_Well I guess we'll start with his name, Justin. They're twins. He's older, never lets her forget it." She smiled to herself. _

"_They're parents are dead." She looked at the ground._

"_I'd rather not discuss the details, but they died when they were still very young. 3 or so I think. So they went to live with their 'uncle'" she said doing air quotes._

"_I think he's like their mother's father's brother or something." She shrugged._

"_Whatever. So they went to live with him, that's when I met her, we were in the same class. I suppose they weren't very happy, with their guardian being so old fashioned and hating kids and all. Serenity never wanted to talk about it though, so I don't really know what happened." She swiped hair from her face, a nervous habit she had acquired from Serenity. _

"_Its like, one day Justin wasn't there anymore. When I asked about it Serenity said he was in Juvy." She looked at her hands._

"_What happened? What did he do?" they had pressed._

"_I don't know…I don't even know if Serenity knows…" she had said softly, her features full of sadness. _

_"WhenI went to KadicI had to leave her behind. She finally convinced him to let her go this year. And that's the end of the story. Now scatter i have homework to do."__She finished, snapping back to her old self and kicking them out of her room. _

Well I guess I'll leave it off here. A kind of cliffy I guess but nothing too horrible. I would write more but I have to go chop wood for some reason and look refreshing. (wink, wink) until next time---Katie


	19. Virtualization

Heh. Yeah. Anyway, now that I've seen the second season, I'm totally back into it. My finger should be all better soon so yay! Ok enough talk, I know you guys are anxious to see what happens.

DISCLAIMER: nope…

DEDICATION: This chapter is dedicated to…you! If you're reading this it means that you've stuck with me for this whole bad spell. Hurray for you!

Now…lets see where did we leave off…oh yes the flashback.

STILL THAT NIGHT: YUMI POV

I smiled to myself as I remembered how Demi kicked us out her room, scolding us for interrupting her homework session.

Serenity glanced at me and looked almost relieved at the expression on my face. "So Demi caved and told you guys huh?" she said, smiling a little, looking at the ground so her eyes were in shadow.

"…" I didn't really know what to say. I didn't want her to be angry, didn't want Demi to get in trouble. I had a strange feeling that the sweet smile on her face was misleading and that she was hiding her eyes for a reason. Her breathing was even, her pace the same, but there was this underlying feeling; bitter, simmering just below the surface. I shouldn't get in her way tonight.

"Pity" she said. Her vioce had an awful edge to it. Truth be told, she was scaring me. "Suppress it. I wont tolerate pity. Its bad enough with Demi." She finished in that horrible voice. I shivered at the iciness of it. I had a feeling she was having a hard time restraining herself right now.

She took an almost inaudible deep breath, then looked at me, grinning. "Sorry. Stupid temper." She said, chuckling a little, as if this was a trivial matter. Scary.

I laughed softly, nervously. I jumped at a light touch on my shoulder. Serenity looked me in the eye. Pleading. Apologizing. "I'm really very sorry. It wasn't you, seriously." I nodded deftly.

She sighed. "Come on" she said and pulled me by my hand across the bridge in front of the tower. We swung on the ropes to the ground and went in the elevator. In the main computer room Serenity took a seat in the revolving chair usually reserved for Jeremy.

"Aelita are you there?" she said, peering at the screen in front of her.

"Oh. Hi Luna!" Aelita said, her face appearing on the screen.

"Actually in this world I'm called Serenity." She said, not looking up, searching for the disk in her bag.

"That's a nice name." Aelita exclaimed.

"I'm glad you feel that way." Serenity said, with her head still in her bag.

"I'm going to call you that from now on."

"Good." Serenity said, drawing the disk out of her bag and holding it up.

You ready?" she asked Aelita as she put the disk in the drive and entered some codes.

Aelita took a deep breath. "Yes!"

Serenity bit her bottom lip and pressed the enter key.

Haha cliffy for you! I'll try to update soon. I have tomorrow off, so maybe then. But I might update host club instead. Thanks for humoring me. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Katie


	20. A Series of Unfortunate Events

Ok! I am sooo sick and therefore am not being allowed to play MapleStory /Starcraft/ Max Paine in French. So I'm writing. Yay writing! I'm also rather delirious so ignore me if I start ranting. K? K! Moving on!

Disclaimer: a warning that you slap on to a piece of artistic work that uses other peoples ideas to show they're not your ideas, or something like that.

Dedication: (makes Starcraft Zerg noises)

SAME EXACT PLACE AND TIME WE'VE BEEN IN FOR LIKE 3 CHAPPIES NOW

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I asked her, as she gazed at the computer screen blankly for half a minute.

She swallowed. "Well we're about to find out aren't we?" "Com'on Yumi lets meet and greet." She said, looking pale.

I followed her out on to the elevator and in to the scanner room. One of the scanners was closed, processing, making beeping and whooshing noises.

Serenity and I waited silently in front of it, waiting, hoping. The scanner opened and filled the room with black acrid smoke. "Jesus." I heard Serenity curse under her breath next to me. I felt her hand on my shoulder. She coughed. "I think I've overloaded it."

My eyes started watering. "Did it work?" I put the sleeves of my shirt over my mouth and nose, trying not to breathe in any smoke.

Her hand left my shoulder and there was more coughing, but farther away, in the direction of the scanner. Something made a loud bang. "Ouch," I heard Serenity whine. I was guessing that she had run straight into the scanner, being unable to see in the smoke filled room.

There was another coughing fit, closer by this time. Something brushed my shoulder. I reached my hand out in that direction and found Serenity. I heard a faintly whispered, " let's get out of here," and then followed her slowly to the exit. We got onto the elevator, smoke following us in. we got up to the control room and the elevator door opened, the smoke dispersing into the large room.

It was then that I saw that Serenity had an unconscious Aelita slung on her back. " Something went wrong." She said, placing her gently on the ground. "And I'm definitely not putting her back in the scanner to check what it was." Her face had a hardened but scared look. Her voice shook as she said, "I'll…just go over the code…"

She walked over to the large pile of paper that had stacked under the printer after being printed out. Her eyes quickly scanned the code covering the sheets. She let the first page drop to the floor and moved onto the next. She dropped that one on the floor. 33 pages later her eyes widened and she held onto the paper with both hands, visibly shaking.

"Oh no…" she said more to herself than to me. She walked over to the swivel chair and collapsed in it her eyes never leaving the page. "How could I have been so stupid?…"

I hovered between her and Aelita, not exactly sure what to do in this situation. I inched towards Serenity and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She looked like she was about to start crying. She looked up at me, "we…can't shut down Xana…"

"What?!?!"

"If Xana dies then so does Aelita, he's infected her with a virus implanted in my code. I should've realized it was too easy…"

I stood silently, looking at Aelita still unconscious.

"DAMMIT!" Serenity shouted, slamming her fists on the keyboard. Several keys popped off and flew in all directions, pinging off objects all around the room. Serenity's arm untensed and she collapsed onto the keyboard, sobbing quietly.

Okey dokey. I'm ultra sorry its been sooo awfully long. I apologize profoundly. However I am a busy lady and I'm still figuring out that whole "time management thing" I promise I'm trying my hardest and its almost finished in the notebook. (I don't know how that's consoling….) anyhoo until next time lovelies. 3


	21. Welcome To Earth

Hola lovelies! I am not feeling well but am buzzed on a mass amount of caffeine. I haven't eaten all week and got a piercing headache when playing baskety ball Monday. And yesterday I drank crack… XD ok! 2AM, lets do this thing.

Disclaimer: Were you dropped on your head as a child?

Dedication: OH EM FUCKING GEE! I looove all people who reviewed. You guys make my life. Keep going. And don't worry about them being tedious for me to read or anything. I spend an average of 5 hours a day on the computer and I love being distracted from my homework so please go right ahead. Analyze the whole first chapter. Find a deeper meaning of a paragraph in 17. Suggest rewriting chapter 3's fourth paragraph. Tell me to get a life! I love reading you guys's comments and I love positive feedback, constructive critism not so much but still. Feel free to write me a novel about how much u love chapter 15 much more than 20 and how I need to get a life really badly and how I have a rambling problem and how over the chapters I seem to involve into a totally different person. Anything. Anything to distract me from my horrible existence.

WHEN WE EVER GET TO A NEW SETTING….

I was too numb, shocked, couldn't find the words, were there even words? We had screwed it all up. The whole thing was spiraling downward, going to crash at the bottom. I looked from the sobbing Serenity to Aelita, what if she never woke up? What would we do? Call Jeremy? What would he be able to do? How would he react? What if we had fucked it all up too much for him to fix? I cracked my knuckles one by one, unaware of my surroundings, breath shallow.

It seemed very quiet. Serenity had stopped sobbing. She was beside Aelita, checking her pulse, mumbling to herself something about fixing this. She looked at me, face streaked with tears but eyes hard. "She's alive."

I wasn't sure how to react. I guess the thought had never occurred to me that she might not even be alive. In my mind I had just pictured her being in a coma or something.

Serenity was poking her, snapping her fingers, clapping her hands, trying to get her to wake up. She paused, putting her thumb and forefinger to her chin in thought. She reached into her pockets and took out her phone. After pressing several buttons her phone screamed in Jeremy's voice "Hey! Wake up!" I smacked my palm to my forehead.

"I don't even want to know why you have that on your phone." I said to her. She grinned and pressed the play button again.

"Hey! Wake up!" the phone repeated in Jeremy's voice. Aelita's eyelids fluttered. Serenity smiled softly as her eyes slowly opened. She started to sit up but Serenity stopped her with her hand.

"Just rest there awhile. Welcome to earth by the way."

"Is there something wrong?" Aelita asked, looking first at Serenity then at her surroundings, her eyes landing on me. She looked confused. "Why was I asleep? Did something happen during the virtualization process?"

Tears were beginning to shine in Serenity's eyes again. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Aelita asked, her voice wavering and starting to sound panicked.

Serenity sniffed and the tears were instantly gone. "I…I…I…"she started again and again but couldn't form words. She shook her head clear, opened her mouth to speak, but instead handed her the paper handout. Aelita's eyes scanned it. "I'm sorry." Serenity said very softly. She threw the page aside and hugged Serenity.

"Its alright honey." Serenity looked very surprised. "It'll all turn out just fine. I'm sure if we all work together we can figure out how to fix it. What matters is…" she let go of Serenity and examined her hands. "I'm here. In real life. And it's going to be great."

By now everyone was all smiles. Aelita tried to stand up but couldn't get the hang of walking. It was getting around 2:30AM so Serenity scooped her up and carried her out of the factory. We exchanged goodbyes and went our separate ways.

Hmmm. I kind of hate how I ended this. But I've rewritten it too much already and can't get it right. Au revior le lovelies. I spelled that wrong didn't I?…..


	22. Confessions 1

Ok to make a long story short I'm on vacation, which means no internet unless I want to walk 12 miles to the library so, I'm writing things, which is fine by me.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code;Lyoko…and neither does Pierre…:P

DEDICATION: HAPPY VERY VERY LATE BIRTHDAY MARTA. WE ALL LOBE YOU UBER MUCH LOTS, MMKAY?

Trademarks in this chapter that I also don't own; Disney's sleeping beauty or Nintendo (gamefreak)'s game boy.

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"Serenity wake up!" Demi screamed through my door.

The handle squeaked as it turned and I was instantly awake, suddenly remembering who was on the top bunk. I rolled on to the floor, landing with a groan, and then leapt across the room, throwing myself against the door.

"You can't come in I'm…" I searched for a word, finding none I just said the first one that came to mind. "…Indisposed."

Demi was silent, then, "you know that means you're going to the bathroom right?"

I sighed, "I'm busy, go away."

"Fine, just wanted to tell you I'm going to breakky and ask if you wanted to come…" She sounded pouty.

"I'll be there when I'm finished." I said tersely.

"What are you do…" she started.

I interrupted, "go to breakfast Demi."

She left, rather haughty at my treatment of her. I let out my breath in a huge sigh and slumped down the door. Sitting on the floor, my back against the door, I looked up to the top bunk where Aelita peeked out at me from under a blanket.

"Did you sleep at all," I asked her.

She shook her head slightly.

"You'll get used to all this, I promise." I smiled at her. The returned smile was hesitant but it was a start. "You can come down now."

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying and failing to make it presentable to the general public, and watched the pink haired girl descend the ladder slowly and carefully.

There was sad, neglected whine coming from the closet followed by some scratching, that put a startled Aelita into the tai kwon do stance.

I laughed and opened to closet door, grabbing Mocha around the middle before she could slip around me and launch herself at Aelita. She wriggled as I turned around.

"It's just Mocha."

She reached out and patted Mocha's head, then smiled. I put Mocha down and went in to the bathroom to fix my hair.

There was an "oompf" as Mocha went air born and crashed in to Aelita's center of gravity.

"Tell her 'down'." I said absentmindedly as I arranged the strands into an acceptable shape.

"Down." Aelita choked, trying to catch her breath.

By the time I came out of the bathroom Mocha was settled in Aelita's lap, with Aelita stroking her head.

"I'm going to get some food, I'll bring you some in a bit. So stay here, be quiet and don't answer the door." I told her.

"Ok." She said, not looking up.

I closed and locked the door behind me. I walked to the cafeteria smiling and humming a song from Sleeping Beauty to myself.

I got an unusually large breakky so I could smuggle most of it to Aelita without seeming too suspicious. Only Odd, Demi, and Ulrich were there.

"Where're Yumi and Jeremy?" I asked, sitting beside Demi.

"Yumi's not here yet and Jeremy's in his room. He's …ah…. having technical difficulties…" Ulrich told me, glancing at Odd when he mentioned Jeremy.

"Yeah, he lost the Princess…Ow!" Odd said as Ulrich kicked him hard under the table.

"What, like in a computer game?" I asked, excitedly.

"…Something like that." Odd said, shrugging.

I had been slipping food in to a large napkin in my lap while I was eating and it was nearing full capacity. I finished what wasn't in the napkin and by casually pretending to look for something I tied the napkin and tucked it in to the outer pocket of my bag.

I said "goodbye" to everyone and left, heading to my room, trying not to look suspicious. I unlocked the door to my room and found Mocha and Aelita still playing.

"Here, I didn't know what you liked so I just got a bunch of stuff." I said, laying out the open napkin on my desk and pulling a water out of the mini fridge.

I went to my closet and started rummaging through all the clothes and clutter. "After you eat, you can try on your dress." I said, emerging from the closet with the clothing in question.

That was when I felt it, the dull throbbing in the back of my mind. The dull throbbing that meant Xana was awake. I stopped dead in my tracks and my smile faltered.

"What's wrong?" Aelita asked, seeing my expression.

"We need to get you back to Lyoko, now." I said, dropping the dress on to my bed and rummaging through my purse to make sure I had the things I needed.

"What? Why?"

"Xana's on the move."

"How do you…did Jeremy call?"

" No, I'll explain on the way." I grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door.

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"_I was hired by Xana to destroy you and break up the gang."_

_There was a stunned silence punctuated only by huffs of breath as we ran. I couldn't think of anything else to say, those words seemed to say so much about me, about everything. _

"_He tricked me, pretended to be some guy named Franz Hopper, told me you were a virus that he needed help eliminating. He said Lyoko was a new age video game and that Jeremy and the others had created the virus to cheat."_

_She was still silent but she had twitched at the mention of Franz Hopper._

"_I was supposed to befriend the gang and study you, figure out how to shut you down. But as soon as I met you I knew you weren't just some program, I followed orders to befriend all of you but I never intended to achieve my objective from the very beginning. Xana was becoming more and more suspicious, I was taking too long, he was going to take control of me as soon as I stepped foot on Lyoko and going to eliminate you himself."_

"_That's why you haven't been helping…we had to bring in William…" she remarked quietly._

"_I'm sorry." I mumbled. We had reached the sewer grate. _

_She took me by the shoulders, "I know you are, but what will Odd think?"_

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"Scanning Aelita, Virtualization." I watched her virtualize in sector 5. "Hey, why is there only sector 5? What have you guys been doing without me?"

"It's a long story." She said.

"Fine. What d'you just stay in this little room since there's no towers?"

She gave an exasperated sigh.

"Ok, whatever, warn Jeremy as soon as you feel something. Not before. He's noticed you've been missing so…tell him it was Xana for now."

"What are you going to do?"

"Say hi to Xana's new friend."

"Good luck."

"You too, I have a bad feeling about this. Be careful."

I turned to leave. "Serenity?" her voice said.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to tell him?" I winced.

"Yes, tonight, if that ever comes." With that I left.

I headed back to my dorm as fast as I could. I needed to get my cell phone and warn the others not to bring William to Lyoko with them. I had seen in Xana's mind that he planned to take control of William and destroy the last sector. If that happened I could only do so much to help.

I hurriedly unlocked my door and searched through the rubble on my bedside table for my cell phone. I had my hand on it when my door opened. I glanced up and saw Demi.

"Oh, hey, I'll just be a sec, I gotta call Odd…" I said, pressing his speed dial number in and then the call button. I put the phone to my ear and waited as it rang. Demi closed the door behind her. I didn't notice the Xana symbol in her eyes until it was too late. She wrapped one hand around my throat, picked me up and pressed me against the wall, choking me. With the other hand she took my phone.

"Hello?" Odd's voice said.

"ODD!" I screamed as best I could. She smashed the phone in to a thousand pieces with her hand and laughed.

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Ulrich and I were sitting in our room. He was trying to finish some math homework that was due 2 weeks ago and I was playing game boy.

"Odd, your phone's ringing."

I turned down the sound on the game boy, "huh?"

"Your phone is ringing."

"Right." I dug around in the stuff covering the surface of my bed and finally pulled it out.

"Hello?" I said in to it, and waited.

"ODD!" said Serenity. There was a loud crunch and the line went dead. I called back.

"We're sorry, the phone you're trying to reach is currently out of service. Please check to make sure you have dialed the correct number or try again later. Message number 5987." Said the computerized operator.

"Fuck." I said, shutting off the game boy and pulling on a t-shirt over the under shirt I was wearing, then a jacket on top of that.

"What?" Ulrich asked.

"That was Serenity, she just said my name and got disconnected, now her phone's out of service. I think something's wrong. I'm gonna go check it out."

Ulrich's phone buzzed. He looked at the message then looked at me. "Xana alert."

"_Fuck!"_

I rushed out the room, down the hall around the corner and down that hall to Serenity's room. The door was ajar and there were signs of a struggle but it was empty. There was a pile of crushed circuits and plastic that I guessed was what was left of her phone.

My phone rang. I fumbled with it and then finally flipped it open. "Serenity?"

"Quite." Jeremy said. I didn't say anything. "Are you coming to the factory? We really need your help." He sounded impatient.

"Fine." I said darkly and hung up. This could be bad. I headed towards the park.

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I woke when my body hit the cold water. I struggled to come to the surface then burst into warm, stagnant air. I blinked but all I could see was darkness. I heard Demi laugh above me and looked up.

Blinded at first by the bright light my eyes finally adjusted so I could see her head outlined in the brightly lighted circular hatch above me. She finished drawing up the steel working ladder and laughed again as she shut the hatch with a loud clang. Leaving me in darkness.

I wasn't exactly sure were I was. I could here water rushing in around me and could only assume some part of the sewers we used to get to the factory.

Ew. I tried to remember if I had drank any of the water when I was thrown in then shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had to get out of here and warn the others.

By this time my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could kind of see. There were two pipes emptying in to the chamber and as far as I could tell none emptying out. This meant I would very shortly run out of air and drown.

I started to laugh and scared myself. I was going insane. I was going to drown in sewage and I was going insane. Great. Just fantastic.

As far as I could tell the only way out was the hatch above my head that was probably locked. It was worth a try. I had been treading water all this time and I stopped, letting myself sink to the bottom. When my feet hit bottom I bent my knees and shot up as hard and fast as I could, reaching my arms over my head.

I didn't even get halfway to the hatch. I crashed back in to the water and started treading water again. My only option was to wait until the water was high enough for me to reach it.

Hopefully it wouldn't be locked. I turned and floated on my back.

Hopefully they did all right without me.

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Ok that's it for me. Forgive me yet? See you soon. :D


	23. Confessions 2

Finally finally finally. So if you can drag yourselves away from the new Harry Potter book long enough…

Dedication: FooFooCudlyPoops – your name alone made me happy. :D

Disclaimer: NONONONONONONONONONO:-P

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It was locked. I pounded on it; I kicked it, tackled it with all the force I could muster but it remained locked.

The pocket of air had been growing steadily smaller, now just a few inches below the ceiling; enough for the top half of my face.

I was beginning to accept that I was probably going to die. I wondered how Justin would take it, if Aelita would tell Odd for me…Actually something good could come from this after all.

I shivered in the cold water, wrapping my arms around myself and found I still had my purse on.

I extracted Xana's device, his sign pulsing on the front. I glared at it, then thought of Aelita and the others and swallowed whatever pride I'd managed to salvage.

"Please…" I said to it. "Stop it. Just…. don't…please…I-I'll do what you want just…please…"

The last thing I heard before I was enveloped in the flash of pale light was his deep, rumbling laughter.

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I was in my bed again and Demi was knocking on the door again.

This time I let her in.

I motioned for her to be quiet because Aelita hadn't woken up yet.

"Who's this?" she whispered.

"Jeremy's date. She's his old crush, lives far away. I had to preorder her." I grinned at my own crude terminology.

Then I ushered her out the door telling her through the crack as I closed it to bring her some food because I had something to do. (And I didn't want to make an appearance right now. Be all buddy buddy before I did what I was about to do.)

I left a quick note for Aelita telling her not to leave the room and not to let anyone but Demi in. I got dressed quickly and ran out the door.

I got to the courtyard and headed toward the park. Using the sewers I got to the factory and rode the elevator to the computer room. Xana's symbol was already blinking on the screen so I went to the scanner room and stepped into a scanner. Nest thing I knew I landed heavily on one knee in sector 5.

The room spun and I went through the door that opened. The creepers didn't attack me so I had plenty of time to hit the mechanism on the far wall of the large room.

I was wondering when Xana would take complete control of me then looked down and saw the Xana symbol on my chest. He was waiting for me to do something he disliked. I grinned. So he did remember the last time he tried to take control of me then. I thought he had forgotten.

I rode the lift and found the spiraling staircase room that contained the key to Lyoko. I smiled, giving myself credit where it was do on finding the room without any instruction. I teleported so I was even with the key and took an arrow from my quiver.

I fitted it and shot. The first shield faltered and when all the creepers around me shot it, it fell. The second shield put up no more resistance than the first. I fitted one last arrow to the bow and drew back.

"Luna!" I shut my eyes. _Please no. Please god no._ But the fan that killed the creeper next to me was all to real and so were Yumi and Ulrich coming towards me.

I didn't lower my bow but turned so they could see the symbol on my chest. I regarded them sadly while they looked at me, determined.

"Please leave." I said in my softest Luna voice. "I don't want to hurt you so please…"

They didn't move. I slowly reached back and pulled another arrow from the quiver, fitted and aimed.

"I'm sorry." I said as I released the arrows. They flew directly to their targets and devirtualized them. I stood very still for a moment as my eyes threatened to well over. I felt the warning prickle in the back of my head that told I needed to get moving.

I could Jeremy, Yumi, and Ulrich having a loud conversation over the earpiece. Yumi was probably telling them about me and they were probably asking a bunch of disbelieving questions. I stalked back over to my place parallel to the sphere and fitted another arrow.

Jeremy addressed me directly. "Serenity?"

"Yes Jeremy?"

The shocked silence that followed was probably not a good sign.

Yumi must've taken the earpiece from him because it was her voice that rang against the empty walls, echoing slightly off the staircase.

"Oh Serenity, don't."

I was starting to get irritated. I took careful aim as I answered. "I'm going to do it either way. I'd rather do it of my own free will."

"But you'll disappear forever!"

I froze.

"Then I guess this is goodbye." I let the arrow fly. It wedged in the center of the sphere, which cracked, and emitted large amounts of light as the room started to deteriorate.

The stair I was standing on disappeared and I let myself fall. Why prolong it? I closed my eyes and embraced the fall sensation until I hit floor. …Floor?

I opened my eyes and found myself in the scanner room. I sat up only to find Jeremy, Yumi, and Ulrich glaring at me. I was thinking that I would've preferred if they didn't save me to this. I shakily stood up and took a couple of deep breaths.

The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife and I didn't feel like answering all the unanswered questions.

"Everything's fine." I said and practically ran out the door.

I was full out sprinting by the time I hit the park and I reached my room out of breath and sweating.

I started swearing as I fumbled with the locking mechanism on the door. The string of curses ran from English and French to German and Japanese and was said in a harsh mumble.

Demi caught some of what I was saying and looked startled.

"What happened?" she asked. Aelita looked extremely sullen.

I ushered Demi out the door, stopping the swearing long enough to say, "I need to speak with Aelita alone," through tightly clenched teeth.

When the door closed behind her I collapsed on the floor.

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Have fun lovelies.


	24. Confessions 3

Hello my dear readers. How have you been? I'm updating between work and running. I got home from work just in time to watch the new code Lyoko episode and when I'm done with this (hopefully) I'm going running. Next I'm going to update my Inuyasha fic. So, here we go.

Disclaimer: By admitting I don't own Code Lyoko I avoid most copyright infringement laws therefore: No I do not own Code Lyoko.

Dedication: Erik (you wouldn't happen to be a blonde vampire?…XD) Thank you very much for taking the time to review my story. I appreciate it.

Ok ya'll 'member what happened last time, riiiiiight? Good.

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Aelita kept her distance as sobs, muffled in the carpet, wracked my body. When I had regained some composer she came over knelt beside me, patting my back softly, consoling me.

"I just couldn't let him destroy you…" I hiccupped.

"I know, I know."

We both fell silent and stayed that way for a while.

"Are you still going to the dance?" Aelita finally asked.

"Yes." I said solemnly, sitting up.

I pulled her dress and things from the closet and laid them on the bed. I grabbed my towel and other bathroom things preparing to go across the hall to shower. My hand froze inches from the doorknob as I heard Jeremy's enraged roar.

"NO I WILL _NOT_ CALM DOWN! HOW CAN YOU EVEN…. HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY… I WILL NOT GO BACK TO MY ROOM!"

I heard Yumi murmur something.

"I think he has every right to react this way." Ulrich seemed to be talking through tightly clenched teeth as he most likely kept the distraught Jeremy from launching himself at my poor unsuspecting door.

I could feel the tremors start to wrack my body again. Aelita placed a calming hand lightly on my shoulder. I turned my head slowly to look at her. Her face was pale from the effort to not go to Jeremy. Her eyes told me everything I needed to know about what she thought was the best action.

"You want _me_ to go out _there_?!" My voice was flat for the most part something I was rather proud of but I flinched as it ratcheted up on some of the words. Panic started to well up inside me as she nodded.

I sighed. "He'll rip me to bits."

She smiled, "Ulrich's got him."

Ah, payback. I suppose I deserved it.

She gave me a gentle push to the door and I took a minute to plaster a calm look on my face before opening the door and stepping out.

"YOU!" Jeremy's face was beet red and he flailed in Ulrich's grip as the brown haired boy struggled to maintain his grasp and stay upright.

I turned my face up slowly to the accusing finger that awaited me. I struggled to keep the calm, bored look on my face as I took in the scene before me.

Yumi was looking extremely worried, alternating between glaring at me and twisting her hands together as she tried in vain to calm Jeremy in low tones.

"You're making a scene. Do you want Jim to show up?" I fought to keep from hissing the words and to keep my tone bored, face stoic.

"HOW DARE YOU CARE ABOUT MAKING A SCENE! YOU…YOU…. MURDERER!"

He might as well have slapped me. I hoped the shock and hurt didn't show on my face as I fought my emotions hard.

"If you're quite finished." I turned to leave.

"NO I'M NOT! NOT BY A LONG SHOT! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY! YOU…. you…" he started sobbing.

"Let him go." I said to Ulrich who in turned glared at me but nonetheless lowered the poor boy gently to the ground. Yumi, too, fell to her knees causing Ulrich to make a face as he tried to decide who to comfort first. He finally settled for winding one arm around Yumi's shoulders and tenderly patting Jeremy's back.

I squatted down and craned my neck until I was, more or less, even with Jeremy's tear stained face.

For the first time I let the hurt show on my face. "Do you honestly believe that I would let her die? That I would purposely put her in harms way for my own benefit?"

His face turned hard. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

I smiled, feeling cruel as I did so. He lunged for me and I quickly jumped back, out of his reach.

I pretended to pout. "Well if you aren't going to be civil…" I turned to leave again then turned back slightly. "She's not dead you know." They all froze but I continued on as if I hadn't said anything of consequence, "I still expect you all for the dance, I'm sure Yumi remembers the arrangement."

I pushed through the door of the girls' showers and went to the mirrors straight away. I impatiently brushed away the big, fat, wet tears the came then but they just kept coming. Finally I just gave up.

I stripped out of my clothes and turned on the water, stepping into it right away, not waiting for it to turn hot. The cold numbed my body, washing away the hot tears. The water turned hot and I washed my hair and body. When the water ran clean of soapsuds I turned it off and stepped out. Wrapping myself in a towel, I gathered my belongings and returned to my room.

Aelita didn't look up from the mirror she was fixing her hair in when I entered. She wasn't sure what to think of me yet. I didn't know what to think of me either.

I took my clothes and things into the bathroom to escape her scrutinizing stare reflected off the mirror that followed my every move around the room.

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it sliding slowly down it onto the cold tile floor. I looked at the dress in my arms and I was seriously considering just throwing it in the garbage and curling up into a ball for the rest of forever.

_Screw the dance. _I thought. _I don't /have/ to go if I don't want to. _I blew out a sigh. _Yes you do. You owe to poor Odd, the fool who likes you so much._

I stood and wrapped another towel around my hair, to keep it from drenching everything and out of the way.

My dress was the kind that came in multiple pieces and I slowly donned them one at a time as a samurai would before his very last battle, the one he knew would end his life.

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That took longer than I expected unfortunately. I'll be returning to the prewritten text soon enough and then I'll be off it again for a bit before I return (hopefully) for the last time.

I'm trying my very very best to get back on the book for good before school starts again but I do still have to read my summer reading book…. thingy…. er…. (Rubs back of head)

No pressure to review, its been brought to my attention that complaining about reviews is rude so if you can muster enough courage and energy that's fantastic if not maybe some other time. :D happy hunting.


	25. Thus, With This Kiss

I don't know if I'll manage the dance in this chapter, I know I said I would so if I don't: I lied and I'm sorry and if I do: you're goddamn bloody fucking welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own code Lyoko or Cocaine: the energy mentioned in this chapter or Hall Om Mig the song later on.

Dedication: Yutaro for getting me over my terrible crippling writers block by telling me his life story.

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"Have we got anything stronger than this?" I asked, holding my clear plastic cup of water up so that the light shown through in speckles.

"If you mean alcoholic then no."

"Well, I wouldn't say no to it at the moment but I was leaning more towards the energy drinks I keep locked in the closet." I pulled the thin chain off my neck, out from under my dress where it was hidden. Depending on whether I wore it over or under my clothes the small golden key would hang anywhere from my belly button to the waistband of my pants.

She took the chain from me with a cock of one eyebrow and went to the closet. "Why do you even have these in here?"

We had both finished dressing a good hour and a half before we were needed anywhere to do anything. This had left us sitting and staring at each other for several minutes and while we didn't dislike each other it had become increasingly awkward as time passed.

I had risen and gotten a glass of water, hoping to quell the nervous fluttering of tiny wings in my stomach but was having to resort to stronger methods.

Aelita fumbled with the locked case on the top shelf for a moment. I licked my lips and looked around for Chap Stick. "For occasions such as this, when the situation unfortunately calls for it."

I drained my cup of water and set it on the desk next to me.

"No I mean why do you have it locked up like this?" she pulled off the lid , treating it as one would treat a live bomb.

"Well, its sort of illegal."

She sniffed it tentively and immediately drew back, "and for good reason. I wouldn't touch the stuff with a 10 foot pole."

I snatched the can from her and cradled it protectively against my chest. "Besides, its not for you, you'd probably pass out."

She had been sipping her own water but at this she dumped the rest of the contents into her mouth and thunked her glass down next to mine on the desk, swallowing the water convulsively, eyes glittering. "Try me."

I sighed and poured her about a shot's worth then filled my own glass to the brim. She didn't seem to notice this and with an excited, thrilled squeak sank onto my bed.

I held my glass gingerly and settled myself cross-legged on the floor, careful not to spill.

She upended the cup into her mouth and I watched it slide down her throat. She smiled smugly at me for a moment then her eyed rolled back into her head and she collapsed backwards onto the bed.

I lifted my cup in her direction and then swallowed a mouthful, enjoying the burning of it as it traveled down. "Told you." I said cheerfully to the unconscious body laid out on my bed like a cadaver. "What will Jeremy think I've done to you?" I sighed.

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Aelita groaned loudly at a soft knock on the door echoed in her head making the pounding headache she had flare into bursts of angry lights behind her eyelids. Serenity got up with only the merest ruffle of satin and padded softly over to the door. The mechanism on the doorknob clicked and Aelita flinched and groaned again. Serenity opened the door just enough to allow Yumi to slip in.

Yumi opened her mouth to speak but Serenity hushed her motioning to Aelita prostrate on the bed.

Yumi's eyes widened and she knelt by the bed, looking concerned then turned back to glare at Serenity, who put her hands up, palms facing out in a gesture of "it wasn't me!"

The glare only deepened as Aelita groaned again, louder. Serenity sighed and pushed Yumi out of the way in order to sit Aelita up. Once wrestled into a sitting position with her feet dangling off the side of the bed, Aelita's head was forced between her knees.

"Take deep breaths." Serenity said through gritted teeth, one hand on the back of Aelita's head pressing it into position. Aelita did as she was told and was surprised to find that with each deep breath the dull throb behind her temples eased. Before long she felt fine.

"What did you do to her?" Yumi was not amused.

"I saved her!" Serenity shouted, exasperated, throwing her hands up in the air and moving quickly to the other side of the room. She went to run her hands angrily through her hair and stopped herself for fear of ruining the time spent taming it.

Yumi smiled, "Yes I know but after that."

"I warned you." Serenity crossed back over and thrust an accusing finger under Aelita's nose. "Didn't I? But no, 'I can handle it' she says. One sip and what do you do? You pass out on me! Jesus woman!" She had worked herself into a frenzy, shaking Aelita's shoulders.

Yumi took one look at Serenity's crazed figure and Aelita's sheepish expression and burst into laughter, rolling around on the floor in mirth until tears came to her eyes, a very un-Yumi-like thing to do indeed.

Serenity calmed quickly and starting to laugh with Yumi. After a while they stopped and sat in silence.

"I'm glad you saved her." Yumi said softly, breaking the silence, toying with the bedspread.

Serenity looked up at her from her hands clasped in her lap, which she had been staring at. She looked down again and mumbled something.

Yumi, moving quickly, wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly around the middle. "There's nothing to forgive."

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Yumi and I pushed Aelita round the corner and heard her gasp of delight as she saw Jeremy.

We poked our heads around the corner in time to see them running toward each other (like that slow mo thing they do in fields of flowers in chick flicks xD). Aelita caught him around the middle and then he had lifted her off the ground and they were spinning and kissing. Yumi had drifted over to Ulrich, rested her head on his shoulder, he had put his arm around her waist and they were smiling.

I hung back and so did Odd, on opposite sides of the happy couples, feeling lonely, Odd with a dark cloud almost visible over his head, arms crossed and his face growing more shadowed in anger and resentment by the minute.

I waved off the happy couples with a cheery, "we'll catch up in just a minute."

Odd stayed where he was, glowering. I approached him with caution. "Want to go for a walk?

"No."

"Will you?" I offered him my hand. He ignored it and brushed roughly past me stomping off toward the door to the outside. I followed.

The cold air hit me, drawing out my breath in a cloud of white smoke.

I followed Odd to a small clearing in the park. I waited patiently while he paced, and grumbled to himself and yanked his fingers through his hair. Finally, he turned on me.

"I hate you."

I didn't look up, kept my eyes fixed on my shoes lest I look up and accidentally meet his eyes directly.

"You used me. You used me and I fell for it. I fell for it." He turned his back towards me. "How could I have been so stupid, so careless? I'm an idiot. Goddammit!" he drove his fist into a tree on his right.

He pulled his hand back and stared at it.

"What would you like to do?" My voice sounded so very quiet.

"Hurt you."

I flicked my bangs out of my face impatiently. "You've already done that."

"Not enough."

I fell silent.

He turned suddenly and pushed past me, grabbing my hand roughly and towing me out of the clearing.

"We're going to the dance." He answered my unspoken questions. "You say you're sorry, you're going to prove it."

I opened my mouth to speak and he pulled me almost viciously to keep up with him. "You're not going to talk."

We had come to the cafeteria building and Odd wrenched open the door and pushed me inside.

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(Author's note: this is the part of the chapter that's songfic-ish. I'unfortunatly cant figure a way to get the link for the song into the story so im going to put links on my profile(or im going to try) If theyre not there just go to and search for hall om meg or hold me now. I highly suggest listening to the song the entire time you're reading this. I'll put another author's note when you can stop. It sets the mood very nicely though.)

Lights flashed and bodies moved together in perfect motion. A new song came on as Odd led me to the center of the dance floor.

Att vår värld behöver ha  
Mera kärlek varje dag  
Det vet både jag och du  
Låt oss börja här och nu

I moved so that we were about a foot apart but he grasped one of my hands and put his other hand on my waist and pulled me to him.

Så håll om mig  
Släpp inte taget om mig  
Är som förhäxad av dig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu

We danced. He was very angry, his body tense, his grip on me tight.

Ja kom närmare ett slag  
Hör du mina andetag?  
Blodet rusar vilt och hett  
Ja på många skilda sätt

And now we were moving, quickly, fiercely.

Så kom och håll om mig  
Släpp inte taget om mig  
Är som förhäxad av dig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu

We stood still again, locked together in a pas de deux, positive betrayal of body and mind.

Pulsen slår, jag ser din blick  
Åhh, jag är i ett hjälplöst skick  
Jag kan bli räddad först om du  
Ger mun-mot-mun-metoden nu

Odd quickly forced me to lean back over his arm, dipping my head down, back arching. And back up again, radiating hatred and dissapiontment and sadness and desire; anger and betrayal.

Så håll om mig  
Släpp inte taget om mig  
Är som förhäxad av dig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu  
Ja kom och håll om mig  
Släpp inte taget om mig  
Är som förhäxad av dig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu

Är förlorad och förförd  
Jag är skakad och berörd  
Hjärtat slår så hårt  
Låta bli dig blir för svårt  
Och jag tror du ser  
Att jag faller mer och mer  
Håll om mig

And then we were spinning; I spotted Demi in the crowd that had gathered on the side to watch, pale with concern.

(Ja håll om mig)  
(Släpp inte taget) om mig  
Är som förhäxad av dig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu  
Ja kom och håll om mig  
Släpp inte taget om mig  
Är som förhäxad av dig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu

(Ooohh, ooohh)  
Wouh, kom och håll om mig  
(Ooohh, ooohh)  
Släpp inte taget om mig  
Och jag vill ha dig  
Kom och håll om mig nu

The song was ending but the frustration was not dissipating from Odd. The dance did not come to a graceful end but rather stopped abruptly. There was a brief flurry of applause as Odd dragged me out of the dance and back into the dorm building.

I was slammed against the wall next to the door to my room. Odd's lips found mine, rough, desiring, bruising. He pouring his feelings into that kiss; frustration, anger, hatred, sadness, betrayal, wanting, love…

The slap resounded in the empty hallway. Odd pulled back, looking hurt, touched two fingers to the red mark on his cheek. My eyes met his for a brief moment then I ducked under the arm on the wall next to my head and retreated to my room. I shut the door behind me and slid down it to a sitting position, resting my forehead on my knees, blood pounding in my ears.

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You are welcome. Let me tell you. This almost killed me. This story appears to be losing interest, which makes me sad. :( There haven't been many reviews lately. Oh right you can stop listening to that song now. :D I had something else to say but I've forgotten it. So whether you're celebrating chrismahanakwanza or the rebirth of the great flying spaghetti god happy holidays from all of us here at Xana's Ally (I don't know why I said that it's only me…)


	26. Et Puis Je Fume

Wow, I haven't updated since last year. Anyway, here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot or song used in this chapter.

I would also like to add that I do not necessarily support anorexia, coloring and cutting your own hair without permission from your guardians, rule breaking, or giving yourself henna tattoos without permission or following the directions just because these things are in the story.

-x-

Ma chambre a la forme d'une cage  
Le soleil passe son bras par la fenêtre  
Les chasseurs à ma porte  
Comme les p'tits soldats  
Qui veulent me prendre

I hummed along with the Pink Martini song, finding the words ironic as I quickly translated them in my mind.

Je ne veux pas travailler  
Je ne veux pas déjeuner  
Je veux seulement l'oublier  
Et puis je fume

Besides Demi, no one at Kadic knew that French wasn't my first language and I intended to keep it that way.

_Déjà j'ai connu le parfum de l'amour  
Un million de roses  
n'embaumerait pas autant  
Maintenant une seule fleur  
dans mes entourages  
Me rend malade_

_Je ne veux pas travailler  
Je ne veux pas déjeuner  
Je veux seulement l'oublier  
Et puis je fume_

I made a face at myself in the mirror, noticing but ignoring how pale I had become since the winter dance. I had just finished cutting and dying my hair. I had always done it with Demi's help but she was out at dinner and I hadn't wanted to disturb her.

Je ne suis pas fière de ça  
Vie qui veut me tuer  
C'est magnifique être sympathique  
Mais je ne le connais jamais

I almost never ate any more; I had gotten used to the tremors of minor starvation. Most of the time I wasn't hungry, the other part of the time I just didn't want to face everyone in the dining hall. Thus, I had become a lot thinner as of late as well as pale.

_Je ne veux pas travailler  
Non  
Je ne veux pas déjeuner  
Je veux seulement l'oublier  
Et puis je fume_

But my hair was black now and just long enough to skim the tops of my shoulders. I put it up in pigtails, one on either side of my head and used some gel to make the hair poof and spike.

_Je ne suis pas fière de ça  
Vie qui veut me tuer  
C'est magnifique être sympathique  
Mais je ne le connais jamais_

I cocked my head at my reflection. It looked…intense. I smiled and the reflection joined me, perfect. Ms. Reflection followed suit when I pouted my lips, using her own pinky to apply red gloss to her lips as carefully as I did to mine.

Je ne veux pas travailler  
Non  
Je ne veux pas déjeuner  
Je veux seulement l'oublier

I mixed some henna ink and set it on the counter for a few minutes to settle. Then I went to my bunk and crossed another day off the calendar that counted down the days until Justin's arrival.

_Et puis je fume._ I sighed, still 3 weeks to go.

Aelita had moved out a few days after the incident, to be closer to Jeremy but also because it was awkward when Odd or someone would come to fetch her to Lyoko and would pretend I didn't care. I missed Lyoko. In Lyoko I kicked ass. And I missed the gang.

From what information I had gleaned from eavesdropping and mouth reading they hadn't been doing so hot. Xana had figured out to delete sectors and they were losing them quicker than you could say "ogod William no!"

They were too proud and uncertain of my trustworthiness to ask for help and I was too proud to offer it. So we had reached an impasse. And since I wasn't budging it wouldn't end until the situation on Lyoko got really bad.

I heard Jim huffing up the stairs and one of the dorm doors opening. There was some clinking of dog tags, a quiet yip, and then a roar from Jim.

I swung open my door, hitting Jim square in the face and knocking him over. I pulled the quilt from my bed and scooped Kiwi up, one hand clamped firmly around his muzzle, covering him in a bundle of quilt in a quick fluid motion.

I peered around the door t Jim, who was rubbing his forehead ruefully and glaring about. I apologized for hitting him and glanced down the hall at Odd, regaining his composure and looking innocent in the whole matter.

It was weekly dorm cleaning time so quite a few of the dorms lay open, there was no way Jim could tell where the dog had come from or into which he had disappeared.

He could search my room if he liked, Mocha being safely hidden, asleep in her bag with all my other bags hanging in my closet. Jim brought me roughly out of my thoughts.

"Have you seen a dog anywhere?"

"No sir, I only opened the door because you were yelling…" My voice was soft and dull; it had lost all the musical tones it once contained.

He eyed me suspiciously then went to the room across the hall to inquire there. I glanced down the hall at Odd again and jerked my head in a come here movement then went back into my room, heading for the mirror.

A couple seconds later Odd shuffled silently into the room. I turned from the mirror and his eyes widened and then quickly sought his feet. Did I look that different?

He had changed too: his eyes were too old to match his face; he looked exhausted, lines and wrinkles almost forming above his brow as I watched him.

I handed him Kiwi, quilt and all. He would need to quilt to get him safely back to his dorm without discovery.

He walked quickly to the door obviously feeling strange about carrying my quilt. He stopped at the door and turned back.

His eyes didn't see me; they looked through me at the old Serenity.

"Thanks…" He cleared his throat, bringing himself back. "Thank you I mean."

I nodded deftly; the first thanks had been so tender, so sorrowful…

"ODD DELAROBIA," Jim bellowed.

Odd stiffened. I grabbed the quilt from him, threw it on my bed, then launched myself at him, tangling arms around, fingers in hair and pressing my lips against his. His eyes opened wide and then, realizing what I was trying to do, wrapped his arms around me and closed his eyes.

I closed my eyes too, praying that Kiwi would be too stunned to give a bark of protest and that I hadn't hurt him; I had thrown him as softly as I could.

There was a loud throat clearing next to us that made us jump apart.

"What's this then? Need I remind you of the three foot rule?" Jim said, his voice sounding pissed and amused all at once.

I felt my face heat up and turn red. I touched my fingers to my lips and looked down, "N, n, no sir." I was shaking…why?

Jim turned to Odd, who was a shade of tomato I didn't think possible for human skin to reach. Odd coughed and mumbled something low and agreeing. Jim looked the two of us over and then turned down the hall muttering something about teenagers and rule breaking.

Odd caught my eye and held it. I shoved Kiwi at him and turned back to my mirror. My reflection was the only thing that made sense anymore.

-x-

I watched her swirl her middle finger around the lip of the glass absentmindedly, the dark red-purple juice inside quivering with the motion.

This was the first time I had seen her in the dining hall for nearly a week, not that I was keeping track, and all she had in front of her now was a 4 ounce glass of grape juice and a half piece of white bread which she was slowly turning into of crumbs on her napkin.

She stopped her crushing to take a sip from the glass, licking the red droplets left behind on her lips as she set it gently back on the table. She laughed softly at something Demi had said but there was no spark of humor in her eyes. She was an empty shell of the girl I once knew.

-x-

Right, sorry this took so long. I've had it done for a while but was debating on posting it because it doesn't meet up to usual standards but I do like it. And I've tried to change it several times only to make it worse than it is so. I hope you enjoyed it and the terrible trio will probably arrive next chapter. Bye now.


	27. Everything Built Must Crumble and Fall

Disclaimer: For the holidays I did not in fact receive Code Lyoko. Bummer.

Dedication: To my cousin Andy, his wife Tammy, and their unborn children.

I think I spent more time on this chapter than any other chapter for this story. I hope the work I've put into it shows cause it's got some of my favorite dialogue so far.

Oh, by the way, Odd, Jeremy, Aelita, and Ulrich are sophomores now. Demi, Serenity, Yumi and Matt are juniors. Yutaro, Pierre and Justin are Seniors. Yes, Justin and Serenity are twins and not in the same grade. Justin's motivated and Serenity's not. I realize this is a giant time jump but they need to be older because I feel like a pedophile making middle schoolers be this dark and sexy. :D Try not to think about why this doesn't work too much, just go with it and it shouldn't be too bad on you.

***

Light and heat flared up from the match in between my fingers. The flame that seemed to have suddenly come alive danced along, closer to my fingertips as the smoke from it burned my nostrils, making my eyes water slightly. I let it burn dangerously close, the heat from it borderline painful, and then dropped it lightly into the bowl of water beneath. Lather, rinse, and repeat.

At the end of this my fingers would probably be aching blisters but I didn't care. One week from now my brother would be here, all would be right again. The time could not pass more slowly for me.

I lit another match. Fire was of course forbidden in the dorms. No one was brave enough to investigate in my room anymore.

"Plink", went the match into the bowl.

I set the matchbook gently on my desk and took the bowl into the bathroom. I skimmed the dead matches out of the water, dumping them into the trash and pouring the water into the sink.

I filled the bowl with fresh, clear water and plucked the head off one of the stemmed roses that had come from Justin just yesterday.

I floated the flower in the water and set the bowl back onto my desk. I watched it bob gently for a minute before picking up the matchbook and lighting another match.

I carefully lit the very tips of the innermost petals, then licked my fingers and put out the match. I watch the fire slowly eat the rose from the inside out, turning the deep red petals black-brown and crispy, causing them to curl in on themselves and crumble.

I looked up from the rose as thunder crackled outside and lightening flashed, illuminating the room for 3 seconds, blinding me. I blinked my sight back and sat on the top of the desk to look out the window, spilling the water and beaching the blackened, dead rose like a whale carcass.

I ignored it and stared outside into the gloom.

The sound of the sheets of rain pounding the earth was accompanied nicely by the sound of the water dripping off my desk onto the carpet.

***

I shivered slightly as a chilling draft danced up my spine, under my skirt. It was dark outside, just after eight o'clock and I found myself in front of my dorm waiting for Matt to meet me. He had invited me to some little underground club he knew of.

I was beginning to regret wearing only my light silk dress. The flowing sky blue fabric floated around my knees and the sleeves were only three-quarter length. I wrapped my arms around myself trying to ward off the chill. The square-cut neckline didn't help either, leaving too much neck exposed. My hair was tied up off my neck in a messy bun in preparation for dancing. I was perfectly equipped for the hot, stuffy interior of a club, not for freezing my ass off outside my dorm building.

I kept grumbling my woes to myself until I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I let out a small cry and spun around fast, ready to flee. I was glad I hadn't worn heels. My planning proved unneeded when I found myself face to face with Matt.

"Holy shit Matt! You scared me." I gave him a playful smack in the shoulder with my small clutch purse. "And you're late! I was freezing out here."

"I'm sorry. Work got hectic right before closing. Here." He held up a single pure white carnation. "This is for the wait."

I forgot my irritation and took the flower from him and pressed it to my nose. I inhaled the sweet scent for a moment then looked up at Matt's eyes. They were a pretty green that I had always found very nice to look at. I smiled.

"Thanks. I guess it pays off to work at a flower shop when you need to bribe your dates. Want to help me put it in my hair?"

"Sure."

I broke off most of the stem and dropped it on the ground. I turned around and held out the blossom to him. He took it from my hands and I felt him slip it into my bun. When the blossom was secure he spun me round. He surveyed me with a gentle almost adoring look.

"Perfect." He said, playing with small piece of hair that had escaped the elastic. "You look beautiful." Then he offered me his arm and led me toward the school gate. "Let's go."

***

The club wasn't far from Kadic, Matt had hailed us a cab and the ride was only 10-15 minutes long. It was called Paradise Crush and Matt had said they played techno and dance music but featured Indy Rock bands playing every couple of nights. Posters pasted on walls everywhere loudly proclaimed the band featured tonight was called the Sky Colored Meerkats.

The signature thumping beat of a techno song radiated through the brick walls of the squat building as we waited in the line to get in as bouncers checked people in the front. When we slipped inside the pounding could be felt in the very floorboards of the crowded room and it pleasantly pervaded my ears and made my eardrums jump. Matt led me over to the bar.

"Do you want something to drink?" he said loudly into my ear to be heard over the noise.

"Sure." I replied.

"Want anything in particular?"

"Just get me whatever." I didn't know the first thing when it came to the names of drinks.

"Okay." He said, sitting me down on a stool. "Wait here." Then he went off to get the bartender's attention.

I turned my attention to the dance floor and the mass of bodies pulsing with energy. The mass synchronized with the music. It was mesmerizing, each individual dancer moving singularly but the entire group melded together as one. As I watched I moved along with the music from my seat at the bar. I began to lose myself in the beat when an unfamiliar voice shouted into my ear.

"Hey Baby," the voice said. "What'cha doin' over here all by yourself?"

I turned my head and found myself face to face with some punk kid. He looked a few years older than myself with blond hair spiked up into a Mohawk and multiple piercings on his face. I could smell the alcohol on him; he'd obviously already had a few. I contemplated stomping on his foot for calling me "baby" and escaping into the girls' bathroom but I decided it was best to just ignore him and hope he would go away.

"I'm not alone. As you may or may not have noticed, we are surrounded by a club full of people." I snapped, glancing down the bar inconspicuously. I caught a glimpse of Matt in the clump of people.

"Oo… we got us a feisty one." The punk leaned in even closer. His eyes scanned up and down my figure with a hungry look in them.

"Back off dude. I'm here with someone."

"Who? Your boyfriend? What kind of guy leaves such a cute girl all by herself?"

I felt the pressure of an arm around my shoulders and Matt leaned between the punk and me to place an electric blue drink on the bar in front of me.

"Why don't you take a hike, she's obviously not interested." He said, fixing the punk with a glare. The blonde boy shrugged then slunk off to bother someone else.

"Ok?" Matt asked me, stroking my face gently with two fingers.

"I'm fine." I gave him my most dazzling smile.

His returning smile was hesitant.

"No, really, I'm fine, I swear. Now what is this evil thing you have brought me, it looks like it contains arsenic."

He broke into a wide smile, " Yours is a 'Hypnotic' and mine," he brandished a drink that was the same color as mine but in a different shaped glass with ice cubes, "is an 'Adios Motherfucker'"

"Yours looks better, switch with me." I made a grab for it. He held it out of my reach.

"No."

"Please?"

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"Because," He paused to take a sip, ice clinking, condensations running down the glass as he tipped it, "mine is mostly hard liquor, while yours," he cut his eyes to me, "is mostly virgin."

"Virgin for the virgin huh?" I reached for his glass again.

"Something like that." His eyes followed my fingers as they dunked into his drink, quickly withdrew a blue-tinted ice cube and brought it back to my mouth to suck on, licking a drip that ran down my chin.

He tilted his head slightly, eyes widening, his own sarcastic version of surprise, "are you trying to seduce me little girl?"

"That depends," I paused to give the rapidly melting ice cube a long, languid lick, watching his eyebrows approach his hairline, "is it working?"

He gave me a smug smile and took another sip of his drink.

The dance floor here was rather small. It was dark and gloomy in the club where the lights weren't flashing bright and colorful. Techno blaring. People dancing everywhere, filling every corner and crevice of the crowded dance floor, grinding slow. Sweat glistens on exposed flesh, vodka pouring and ice clinking in glasses can be heard under the blaring music. It's so loud you can't think, but you don't want to think. You're not here to think. Piercings glitter in the flashes like lightening. There's no words exchanged from the mass of dancers, just silent expression to the music. It's beautiful and terrible, sinful and pleasing to the senses....

There's a second long pause and the music speeds up. The lights flash rapidly to make the room more lit, not as dark, shadows dancing. Heart beats speed up to match the beat of the music. Feet pound, hands clap, voices rise from the hushed lusty whisper. Hips sway, hand shoot to the ceiling. Flesh on flesh, breath coming in silent gasps. The place is alive with a swell of people, surging and rolling.

I tore my eyes from the dance floor to see Matt place his now empty glass next to my half empty one on the bar. I pop another of his ice cubes into my mouth tasting the hard bitter-sour vodka and the strong woodsmoke of gin, the spice of a liquor I couldn't name as well as the sweet syrup taste of rum. Definitely much more alcoholic than mine, which tasted like raspberry candies.

I drained my glass then grabbed his hand and led him into the throng.

***

I suddenly felt like I needed to escape the heat and pressure of the club. I leaned into Matt pressing my hands firmly against his chest as I brought my lips to his ear.

"I need to get some air!" I spoke loudly to him. "I'm feeling a little light headed."

He looked at me with a slightly concerned expression. He pulled my hands off his chest and clasped them gently. "Want me to come with you?" He called back.

I shook my head and gave him a small reassuring smile.

"Okay." He gave my hands a little squeeze then let them go. "I'm gonna go get us new drinks."

I nodded again as I turned and pushed my way through the crowd. I fought my way through the mass of writhing bodies toward the back door of the club. I shoved the door open and burst out into the open air. The cool air that had been uncomfortable before felt soothing against my flushed skin. I took a few deep gulping breaths and I felt myself resurfacing from the hypnotic spell of the club and whatever had been in my drink, 'Hypnotic' indeed. The pulsing beat of the music was still audible out in the alley but was muffled by the thick walls of the club. I leaned back against the rough brick and looked around me. The alley was completely empty except for a couple who were smoking down by another door.

The man was a tall brunette with a lithe build and his petite companion had light coppery locks that cascaded down her back. The woman had her back to the wall like me and the man stood in front of her, their heads bowed together in discussion. She took a drag on her cigarette and blew the smoke slowly from between her pursed lips. A wisp of laughter carried down the alley to my ears as the man planted light kisses along his partner's collarbone. She pushed him away playfully, taking another long drag. I watched them discreetly for a few minutes longer until they both stamped out their cigarettes and slipped back into the club. I kept my eyes trained the other door until I heard a low whistle from behind me.

"Lookie here, boys! It's the little chickie all by herself."

I whipped around to see the punk guy from earlier rounding the corner, flanked by two other guys who looked to be his sidekicks. The trio converged on me in a matter of seconds. My pulse quickened and I began to edge toward the door. I was stopped in my tracks when the blond punk planted a hand on the wall between my escape and me, effectively barring my exit. He took one last swig from the beer in his other hand and tossed the bottle over his shoulder. The glass broke with a sharp crack and the guy blocked me in with his other arm.

"Hey Baby. You got some time for me now? Looks like your boyfriend left you unattended."

"Leave me alone!" I pushed against him with all the strength I could muster but he didn't move an inch. I tried to duck under his arm but he grabbed a hold of my wrists.

"Whoa, whoa! What's the rush?" The guy pinned my wrists above my head and brought his face close to mine. He pressed his lips to the side of my neck and kissed his way up to my ear. I struggled against him but he was too strong. I felt his hot breath on my skin as his lust filled whisper reached my ear. "I'll show you a good time."

I made to scream but any sound was cut off by his mouth crashing against mine, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth. I struggled and tried to kick him in the crotch but he pressed his body against mine, impeding any movement on my part. I heard the calls of his friends as they egged him on, profanity after profanity filling the air.

The punk's grip on my wrists shifted so he could hold them in place with one hand as his other roamed down my body. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as he grabbed one of my breasts and squeezed, hard. His knee slipped between my thighs and pried my legs apart. His mouth separated from mine and I found myself robbed of breath. His eyes were rimmed in red from the alcohol and they looked at me with a hunger. His free hand left my breasts and dropped to my knee. I flinched as his fingers slid up the inside of my thigh as he pushed my skirt up.

"Looks like we have ourselves a cherry here!" The other two guys whooped and hollered behind him. "Don't worry Baby." He nipped my earlobe. "I'll be gentle."

An intense anger lashed up inside me and mixed with my fear in a great torrent. I found my breath and screamed for help. After an instant, a hand was slapped across my mouth.

"Shut it!"

"Hey!"

A loud crash resonated through the alleyway as the club door flew open and collided with the brick wall. Matt leapt out with two drinks in his hands, the blaring music following him. The slightly bent door swung closed with a reluctant creak, muffling the sound once again.

"Get your hands off of her!" Lightning fast, Matt threw the glasses at the two sidekicks. The glasses smashed on impact causing the two to cry out in pain. Broken shards of glass rained to the ground along with unidentifiable beverage and droplets of blood. Matt paid no more attention to the two as they stood staring, slightly dumbstruck. He closed the space between us in a few long strides and grabbed a hold of the punk's shirt.

"I'm talking to you Blondie! Let her go!" He wrenched the punk away from me and threw him to the grungy pavement. Matt flashed me a quick look before stomping over to the punk who was picking himself up off the ground.

"Why you!" He cried as he threw a punch at Matt. Matt blocked it quickly before socking him in the left cheek. The punk swore and retaliated. I leaned back against the wall as the two boys went at each other. Throwing punch after punch. Matt seemed to have the upper hand but I wracked my brain for someway to help out. I reached down and yanked off my left shoe. I threw it with as much force as I could muster in the general direction of the scuffle.

"Ow! What the?! Demi!" Matt shot me a glare before knocking the punk to the ground with a sweeping kick.

"Ah, sorry!" I stood back and watched as Matt wrestled with the punk on the ground for a minute before finally pinning him down. Matt was holding his wrists painfully behind his back so it looked like if the blond moved his arms might break. Matt leaned his face down really close to the punk's, staring him straight in the eye.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle." Matt hissed in a low voice, an almost evil grin spreading across his face before he gripped the kid's blond hair with his free hand and smashed his face against the ground, breaking his nose with a sickening crunch.

Matt released the other boy who swore as he pressed his newly free hands against his nose that was now gushing blood. He pushed himself to his feet and looked over at me. I abruptly pushed off of the wall and ran to him, tossing my arms around his neck.

"Oh Matt!" I hugged him tightly, fresh tears brimming in my eyes. Matt hugged me back gently for a moment before releasing me. I looked into his emerald eyes and smiled. "Thank you…" The words caught in my throat a bit.

A groan from my attempted rapist snapped me out of my state as I turned my to his form still a heap on the ground.

"Hey!" He looked up from nursing his face just in time to see my leg swing back before I kicked him with all of my might in the groin. His face formed a silent howl of pain, only a choking noise coming out of his throat. I smiled in satisfaction. At least now he'll never, ever, have kids. Ever.

I turned back to Matt and abruptly pressed my lips to his. I snaked my arms up around his neck and wove my fingers into his dark locks. He didn't skip a beat and grasped me around the waist, his hands pressing against the small of my back. I pushed the kiss deeper as my tongue searched the inner reaches of Matt's mouth. We were vaguely aware as the punk's sidekicks snapped out of their shock-induced trance and started to carry off their fallen comrade to lick their wounds. After a few long moments Matt pulled back and brought up one of his hands to cup my cheek. His eyes were affectionate as he looked at me.

"Sorry I took so long." He breathed.

I just shook my head in response and gave him a reassuring smile. I looked over his wounds quickly. He looked no worse for wear except for a few scratches on his face: up by his left eyebrow and one across his cheek. His hands were pretty banged up but those would heal. His expression changed suddenly to something resembling amused annoyance.

"I can't believe you hit me with a shoe!" He exclaimed, a laugh seeping into his words. "What did you think that was going to do even if you had hit the right person?"

I shot him a glare.

"Shuddup! I was just trying to help! This alley is surprisingly clean. Not a trash can to chuck in sight!"

"Ouch! Now I'm kind of glad it was just a shoe." He chuckled against my mouth as he planted another light kiss on my lips. "I did have it pretty much under control though."

"That you did." I whispered seductively before kissing him more forcefully.

I felt a warm wet drop hit my cheek and and pulled back from him, holding my hand out to catch another in my palm. In moments it was pouring, warm hard blankets of rain pounding down on us, flashes of lightening illuminating everything and rumbles of thunder shaking the world. He pulled me to him again.

We were soaked to the skin in seconds, bodies pressed tight against one another. Our hands roaming and pulses racing. We didn't resurface into reality for a long while and when we did Matt grasped my hand firmly. He led me over to pick up my previously discarded shoe, now complete with puddle, and he slipped it back onto my foot.

"Come on." He kissed me lightly one last time before leading me toward the street. "Let's get you back to the dorms before somebody misses you."

My cheeks were flushed and my wet hair was stick damply to my face, my lips swollen from kissing as we stumbled out of the alley and Matt hailed a cab.

When we reached Kadic we made our way back to my dorm in silence. We grasped each other's hands, fingers intertwined. We snuck in successfully without being detected, although leaving a trail of drips on the carpet, and stopped in front of my door.

"I hope today wasn't a totally horrible first date." Matt said in a hushed tone.

"Hopefully the next one won't be as eventful." I whispered.

Matt smiled and cradled the back of my head with one hand, pulling me close for one last kiss. Matt's fingers tugged at the elastic holding my hair up and pulled my hair loose. We separated and he brought his hand around between us. In his palm rested the white carnation he had given me. It was slightly crushed and a little limp but still mostly intact. Matt brought the blossom up to his lips and gave the petals a light kiss before placing it in my open hands. He folded my fingers over it and looked into my eyes.

"Goodnight Demi."

"Goodnight Matt."

And with those final remarks he departed and I slipped inside my room. I grabbed a towel and dried myself as best I could, finally deciding it wasn't worth the effort. I wrapped the towel around my head and then flipped off the light, thankful to crawl into my bed and sleep off the night's excitement. I lay on top of the quilts, listening to my heartbeat steady, feeling my bones align and settle into the soft mattress.

The light switched back on. Serenity peered out from over her arms from where she sat perched on the chair next to the lamp. "You'll catch a cold sleeping like that."

I reluctantly sat up. "It's not me I'm concerned about. Do you want a snack?" I asked in a way that wasn't really a question. She would eat something and she would like it, damn it. I rummaged under my bed for the cache of food I kept under there and pulled out a package of saltines. She took one when I offered them to her, nibbling on it in the tiniest bites possible.

We crunched crackers in silence for a while, she would tell me why she was here when she felt like it. In the meantime I forced a couple more crackers on her.

"Did you have fun on you date?" She asked suddenly.

" I almost got raped." I kept my tone bored, my face neutral.

"Sounds like a party to me." She didn't rise to my jab.

"Did you really come here to discuss my date? I would've told you about it in Bio."

"You forgot my birthday."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"What are you talking about? Your birthday isn't for months and you hate celebrating it." I said, confused at the sudden turn in the conversation. There was silence as she looked at me expectantly and we both waited for it to click in my mind. "…Oh! You had a bad dream didn't you? Come over here Love, tell me all about it." I held my arms open to her and she joined me on the bed as I hugged her close.

"Well?" I looked at her.

"Well what?" she grumbled.

"What was it about?"

"What was what about?"

"The nightmare."

"Are you stupid? I've been living in it."

"Silly girl. When we get older and think back to this, we're gonna laugh."

"You always say that." She had her face hidden from me and the sniff was almost inaudible but I heard it. I pulled her so her face was buried in my neck. I could feel the wet warmth of her tears against my skin.

"Why do you always need an excuse to come cry to me?"

"Because."

I left the matter alone, I knew it was because she thought it made her weak. She didn't realize that everyone needed someone to cry on.

I lay us back, my arms around her shoulders, our heads resting on the one pillow, our knees touching, and pulled the covers over us. She continued to sniffle and wipe away her tears almost violently with her hands. I started to drift off to sleep, warm and comfortable. Serenity's face came closer to mine and sniffed again.

"…Are you drunk?"

I chuckled, "I don't think so."

She snuggled closer and soon her breathing evened out. I closed my eyes and finally let sleep take me.

***

A couple hours later I was awoken by Serenity disentangling herself from me and scrambling out of bed, dashing for the bathroom.

She turned the faucet on, but I could still hear her retching.

I dragged myself out of bed and stood in the doorway of the brightly lit bathroom in time to see her wipe her mouth with the back of her hand and flush the toilet. She glanced at me through the mirror as she bent over the faucet and gargled- and –spat mouthful after mouthful of water. When she spat, the water was tinted red with blood. She washed her hands vigorously with soap and burning water and then turned to me, drying her hands and face with a towel.

"I'm the one who's been drinking, isn't that my job?" I said, leaning against the door frame and crossing my arms.

"When you don't eat for a while your stomach can't handle even little things. It's no big deal."

"I just saw you puking pieces of stomach lining and you're trying to tell me its no big deal?"

She gave me a hard look. "Yeah." Then she pushed past me. "Thanks for letting me borrow your bed." She called out softly. I didn't turn around and I heard the door click shut behind her.

I don't know how long I stood in the doorway of the bathroom before I switched off the light and sank back onto my bed, cradling my head in my hands in the darkness.

***

Her brown hair was cropped to chin length and the mocha skin around her eyes crinkled when she smiled. She stood close enough to me that I could feel the warmth of her bare arm through my clothes, the red plaid of her skirt as it brushed against my legs.

She was a little close for my taste. I loosened my tie so that it hung limply in a wide circle around my neck like a dead fish. We rounded the corner and standing in front of the check-in office was Serenity; she wasn't alone.

She was leaning on a tall boy who looked strikingly similar to her, darker hair, and taller but the face, eyes, movements were the same, only male. She looked so calm; her form completely relaxed. They stood a foot apart, her faced pressed to his chest, his arms around her shoulders.

Two other boys stood behind them. One of them held up the wall, an unlit cigarette captured between two pursed lips, arms crossed. The other boy had managed to find the only shadows in the well lit hallway and seemed to blend in almost perfectly with the wall behind him; as he stood, calm and unmoving, face blank but eyes glowing.

My mouth made a soft popping noise when I snapped it shut from its jaw dropped position.

I had never seen Serenity look so at peace.

The one against the wall was the first to notice me. His eyes scanned from my toes up to my face then flicked to Sam. "Heh," the end of the cigarette bobbed as the short bark of a laugh left his lips.

The boy with my Serenity, no wait, not mine, I don't care, looked up then leaned down and said something softly in her ear. She looked up slowly, like she was underwater, her expression hardening when she recognized me. The Serenity-look-alike boy studied her for a moment, curiosity plainly seen.

His face split into a grin and he stepped forward, offering me his outstretched hand. I took it out of reflex.

"I'm Serenity's _brother_ Justin and you are her…?" the word 'brother' had slight emphasis and the trailed off ending to the question without a good answer made it clear that he was mocking me. That he _knew_.

"Tour buddy," barked a high-pitched voice. All heads turned to the registration closet cut into the wall.

Miss Roth: my blue starched hair-ed, drawn on eyebrow-ed, cat eye glass-ed savior. The fact that her eyebrows didn't match made her more angelic looking in my eyes. I could have kissed her.

She held up a packed key ring and jingled it. "I only have one set of keys so y'all l'be tourin' t'geth'r," she chirped in her harsh southern twang.

Serenity rushed forward and took the keys from her, keeping her head down to avoid eye contact with anyone.

I opened my mouth to speak but Miss Roth wasn't finished. "Now chilren lemme take a realquick ro'cal." I could almost hear the giant mental sigh that went up.

"Pierre Anatole?" The boy with the cigarette grimaced slightly as she mangled his last name then raised a hand with the pointer finger up. "Pierre," Miss Roth said again. The finger waggled slightly.

Justin cleared his throat and she looked up from her paper to spy Pierre. "Spheak hup boy, my lawd y'all era key-it bunch." The hand dropped back to his side quickly.

"Odd Delarobbia?"

"Here." I choked out.

"Even," she replied. Justin snickered quietly.

"Justin Taylor?"

"Here," he boomed.

"Serenity Taylor?"

"Here," she said softly. Miss Roth looked over her glasses at them.

"Erre y'all relation?"

"No relation ma'am." He said evenly, smiling a smile that seemed to show all of his straight, white teeth. She gave them another once over, then seemed to accept that answer and continued on.

"Samantha…" The lengthy pause after Sam's name seemed to suggest that Miss Roth had no idea how to pronounce her last name.

"Here." Said Sam, her usually earthy voice sounding slightly shrill.

"Yutaro Shutiya?" this name came out so garbled that apparently the owner didn't even recognize it. The boy in the shadows continued to stare off into space.

"Yutaro." Serenity called softly under her breath and the boy seemed to snap out of his stupor and, realizing that it was his turn, opened his mouth to speak but Justin was quick to jump in.

"He's here ma'am but he doesn't speak English. He just recently moved here from Japan." Yutaro's eyes widened a bit but then he simply closed his mouth and went back to dozing off.

Miss Roth was sorting through her stacks of papers, "that's nice dear…here err yer sched'les and return the keys to my office when yer finished." Serenity nodded deftly then looped her arm through Justin's and started to drag him off.

"Stop it," I heard her whisper fiercely.

"Funsucker," he whispered back.

"Asshole."

"Cumdumpster."

"No you're a cumdumpster."

"No…"

"Ok!" she said out loud, interrupting his comeback. She grabbed the schedules from my hands and plastered a fake smile to her face. "Math classrooms on the left, science on the right: chem., bio, physics and electives in that order; except for forensics, which is the room down there at the end of the hall." She said all this in one giant rushed with no spaces between the words.

She paused, scanning over the schedules, eyes moving back and forth quickly. Pierre threw one arm around her shoulders and leaned down close to her ear to breathe something that sounded like, " where is the sex ed. classroom, teacher?" Two of his fingers traced a line down her jawbone and she shuddered before maneuvering out of his grip and taking a step away from him. She shot him a look that smoldered then went back to the schedules.

"Who's the retard taking Advanced Seminar?" Sam stiffened next to me and I grimaced. Advanced Seminar was for the idiots whose English grades from the past year didn't qualify them for any electives or for an Honors or AP class. I was in Advanced Seminar and, apparently, so was Sam.

"Well, anyway, that's 104, that classroom there." she said, motioning to the classroom, a rather smug look on her face. "The other English classrooms are upstairs in the humanities wing." She continued, leading us to the stairs.

"Honors Writing is just there." she said, pointing to the first classroom on the left at the top of the stairs. "But if it's nice out you'll be outside and sometimes when it's not nice out. Always bring a jacket to that class."

We continued along the hall, "AP English is here, same block as I have it too." Her face was buried in the schedules again. "Hemingway is…there." She flicked her wrist towards a classroom on the right and Yutaro seemed to make a mental note of its location.

We moved on into the history wing. "Hitler and World War II is an elective so it's here. Same with Vietnam and Organized Crime. Nukes and Commies is in H215 right there and AP government is next to it in H216…Justin, just how is it that you're taking twelve classes when there's only six blocks?"

She stopped walking to look back at him. He caught up with her and then slipped his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers.

"I'm very serious about my learning," he said, his dark eyes sparkling with humor. "And whatshisface, the principle, practically wept with joy when I told him I wanted to take extra classes. My quest for knowledge inspired him. He arranged it all for me, not to worry Love."

Serenity blew out a sigh and he brought both of their hands up, using his thumb to tuck a piece of stray hair behind her ear. Their eyes caught for a moment, then I cleared my throat, mumbling under my breath, "God, get a room already."

I took Sam's hand and pulled her with me to lead the group. I turned back quickly and threw a hand out, palm up, towards Serenity. "Keys? I'll take the grounds." Serenity dropped the key ring onto my palm.

They followed us down the stairs opposite from the one's we had first taken and, after I fumbled with the keys for a minute, continued out the back door into the main courtyard. The place was deserted, it was a class period after all and skipping class was rather pointless if you lived in the dorms since you couldn't go home. Skip class to go where and do what exactly? The school grounds were fenced off and the gates were locked during the day for security so there were only so many places you could go, none of them very amusing. Eventually the teachers (most likely Jim) would track you down anyway, so the whole thing was kind of pointless.

Pierre took out a plastic lighter and lit his cigarette; smoke pluming from his nostrils as he exhaled.

"You can't smoke here." I said, irritated.

"Yeah," said Serenity, grabbing it from him. "The least you can do is share." She took a long draw on it, exhaling quickly. When she didn't cough or sputter I could only assume she'd done this before.

Pierre wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close and she rested her head on his shoulder, taking another long draw.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I extracted it and opened it to find a message from Jeremy, I already knew what it said but I opened it anyway. "SOS XANA" it read in bold black letters. I sighed and stuff the phone back into the pocket of my jeans.

"I have to go, Jeremy needs me for something." I gave Serenity a meaningful look, which she returned with a solemn nod, and started to walk away.

"Odd, wait!" Sam reached for me. "Where are you…?"

"Yutaro." Justin said sharply. The tall boy came over to Sam and intertwined their fingers, looking pointedly away from her and up, keeping her from following me. Sam's eyes switched between him and me, confused.

Serenity flicked the cigarette to the ground with a sharp snap of her wrist and ground it out deftly with the ball of one shoed foot. "Come along Dear, once we finish the tour I'm sure Odd'll catch up with you." She said, ushering everyone away towards the next building, pausing only a second to shoot me a sour 'you owe me' glance.

I had no time to stand and watch them go, Xana was on the loose.

***

Does Sam even have a last name? I couldn't find it anywhere... I suppose it doesn't matter too too much since I'm bringing her into this story to make her miserable. (evil grin) Anyone who can get her name for me gets a prize (a secret, never before seen sexy scene between serenity and odd.)

Everyone give a giant thanks to Haley for writing the entire club scene between Demi and Matt, which i edited to within an inch of it's life unfortunately, so it's not really that much like what she originally wrote but...Thank her anyway! And check out her story, Fragile Reveries! I'll be guest appearing some of my sexy scenes in it before it's over. :D

The songs I listened to while writing this can be found on my profile. So if you're bored and feel like listening to music check them out.

Demi: "This is really heating up into a sexy romance story, I wonder what'll happen next."

Katie:"..."

Demi: "You don't know?!?"

Katie: *rubs back of head * "ehheh..."

Demi: "What am I going to do with you?"

Katie: "It's scary how much like Haley you sound."

See you in the next installment everyone!


	28. Come Tumbling Down

Hello all, it's me again. Sorry it's been a year since I've updated but life ate me. I've been battling for my soul I tell you. Anyways please enjoy this installment of Xana's Ally as we finally catch up with the evil plot monster.

DISCLAIMER: Roses are red

Violets are blue

I don't own Code Lyoko and neither do you. :)

~X~x~

"You know what Ulrich? Just shut up." Yumi's voice said loudly.

Jeremy sighed; this was their third fight in just as many days. He used to think theirs was the best relationship in their group but no longer. Their voices grew louder as the elevator stopped and opened to the control room.

"No I won't shut up Yumi, there is no way this is my fault. I sacrificed two of my triplications to save your ass and you did _shit_."

"I did my best; you can't ask me for more than that."

Ulrich snorted incredulously. She ignored him and turned on Jeremy, "have you had any luck finding Odd?"

"Well I..."

"I'm sure Odd's on his way because he's trustworthy," Ulrich interrupted.

"Are you saying I'm not?"

Ulrich's eyes had a mean pinch to the outside corners. "That's exactly what I'm saying. First you goad Odd into hating Serenity and then you convince him to bring Sam here."

"Goaded him? She betrayed us!"

"No, she didn't actually. She didn't complete Xana's mission, she told us everything. You're basically punishing her for not fucking us over. I bet she's wishing she'd just offed us in the first place. I mean, Christ Yumi, have you seen them lately? Odd looks like he's just waiting for an excuse to murder someone and Serenity's walking around like she's lost the will to live. Thank God her brother and his friends are here to force some food into her; I don't know how much longer Demi could've kept her alive on half-pieces of white bread and juice."

"Just because she told us doesn't mean she's not going to follow Xana's orders. This whole thing could be an act and her brother and the other two could be here to help her eliminate us."

Ulrich rolled his eyes," you're being ridiculous."

"You say that now but I'm probably right. I was right about William. You all thought he'd be such a big asset and now, not only do we have to cover our asses at school but, we have to try to push our way past him every time we go to Lyoko."

"You know William has no control over himself right now. Just because you're miserable doesn't mean that everyone else has to be, I mean Odd was...Odd probably..."

They both froze as the doors to the elevator opened to reveal Odd. The stiff set of his shoulders and his terse, "Start it up, I'm here," told them that he had heard everything.

He slammed his hand down on the elevator button, the doors shuttered in protest and closed with a soft snap, and then he was gone.

Ulrich was the first to move, "...fuck," he said, sighing and moving both of his hands behind his head to massage his neck vigorously enough to make the skin red.

Yumi sniffed, "I have nothing to be ashamed off." Ulrich sighed again, rubbing harder. "Fine, you can apologize at sparring practice." She huffed off toward the stairs.

~X~x~

"Oh Ulrich dear," I heard Sissy coo from behind me. I picked up the pace in a futile attempt to get away. I was stomping my way back to my dorm with every intention of locking myself in all night and skipping sparring practice with Yumi. I wasn't ready to grovel for her yet; I was still too pissed.

"Ulrich!" her voice was closer now, fuck. Her claws found purchase in my shoulder and she forced me to stop and turn to her. She smiled her oozing smile and flipped her hair with one hand. "So, Ulrich darling, I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight since I happen to already be dressed."

I eyed her up and down. "I'm not going dancing with you and you look like a stripper."

"Oh, you're so flattering Ulrich, I know I do look so _exotic_."

"No, what I meant is that you've forgotten to wear pants unless that belt is actually a skirt...Jesus, Sissy, cover up for chrissakes, I can see what you had for breakfast,"

"Well, I never..." She stomped away.

Laughter echoed in the hallway, originating from behind me. I turned to find Demi, with a giant red leather bag strung over one shoulder, trying to stifle her giggles with both hands.

"What?" I asked, exasperated.

"Haha, what you had for...ha...hahaha...breakfast. *snort* You sound like my dad."

I cracked a small smile for her benefit. Her laughter subsided and she wiped her eyes with the bag of her hand. "So, what's in the bag?" I asked.

She winked at me. "Nothing special. It's Serenity's and I just thought it would want some fresh air and a bit of a romp since she's out with Pierre tonight." Her eyes sparkled with humor.

I cleared my throat and looked towards the ground quickly. "Well, it's pretty cold outside; you should probably get a hat or something."

"I won't be long." She paused and looked at me expectantly, then pouted. "You're not coming with me?"

"Did you want me to?"

"I wouldn't mind the company if you wanted to come."

"I wouldn't mind coming if you wanted the company."

Her eyes were sparkling again. Her face split into a wide smile and she looped her arm through mine, "come along then," dragging me off into the sunset.

~X~x~

"So, at what point do you start spilling your guts? Cause my ass is getting cold and we've been out here for an hour already."

They were walking in the woods. Mocha was scampering around in front of them, staying within eyesight, every once and a while looking back to make sure they were still following her.

"...What are you talking about?" Ulrich said, slipping his jacket off and draping it around her shoulders.

"Thank you. It's a Tuesday. Did you think I hadn't noticed?"

Ulrich sighed. "What does that have to do with anything?"

She turned to look up at him, "You always go to spar with Yumi on Tuesday nights but tonight you were heading for you dorm with every intention of skipping." He opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off before he could get a word out. "Don't lie and make a fool out of yourself. You accepted my invitation even though it's fucking freezing out here because you needed someone impartial to talk to right?" He was silent. "Well, anyway, start talking. She's a small dog with little legs, she won't last an excuse for us to have a conversation forever."

Ulrich sighed. "It was just a normal fight I guess. It just seems like we're always fighting these days, over stuff we've never fought about before. And when we did have one of our rare fights before, I would forgive her instantly, now, I mean, we fought pretty early this morning and GOD, I'm still mad enough to strangle the witch. It makes me feel like a monster." She watched him clench his hands into tight fists.

"That sucks."

He sighed, "I'm sorry for dumping this on you all of a sudden."

She ignored his apology. "Do you need a hug?" She asked, looking up at him seriously.

He looked surprised. "...You know, I think I do."

She held out her arms out to him and they embraced tenderly. "Ulrich," she murmured in his ear.

"Hm?"

"You're really warm." She snuggled a little deeper into his arms. He felt strange warmth in his chest, one he hadn't felt in a while. They pulled apart and he grabbed her hands in his.

"You're hands are freezing! I told you to wear more clothes." He rubbed her hands gently between his own and brought them to his lips to blow puffs of warm air on them. "Let's head back now, it's getting late."

He held her left hand in his left and then slung his right arm around her shoulders and held her right hand in his up near her shoulder, keeping her as warm as possible on the walk back.

They reached the dorm building just in time. It started to drizzle when the building came into view and when they ran swearing to the underpass in front of the door the sky opened up and dumped an ocean of surprisingly warm rain in thick sheets that obstructed one's view of anything unless directly in front of one's nose. They ducked inside the building and parted to head back to their respective rooms for the night.

Outside the few inches of snow on the ground melted within the hour and a thick fog rose to hover like ghostly soup above the ground, giving the campus an ethereal feel.

~X~x~

Serenity tipped her way through the unnatural mist in all white. She was soaked through, skin showing in dark patches under the thin white cloth where it clung to her.

She had left Pierre some time ago; left him the umbrella with a quick kiss. I assumed that she was returning to the dorms after but she had turned in the opposite direction and I couldn't help myself, I was curious.

But I wasn't following her, hadn't been following her for quite a few days since the appearance of her brother and his friends. Yumi had given me her orders; I can't even remember when I started taking orders from that prissy bint, "watch her". She suspected Serenity of...something...and her brother was somehow involved, cover or accomplice, I would find out. It was cold; I shivered in my black rain jacket, not a lot of padding in those things, my breath visible in white puffs. Serenity must be freezing, dressed for summer, no shoes, wet to the bone.

She had stopped under one of the tall lights on the sides of the path, the circle of light looking watery and thin as she glanced furtively around. I peered out at her from behind a bush, through a gap in the leaves, and her gaze shifted to my area. I stiffened as her eyes seemed to catch mine and bore into my brain, an "I see you, I know you're there" sort of look.

We stayed like that for several minutes until she tilted her head to look down the path where she had just come from, I let out a shaky breath in a quiet whoosh that was lost in the patter of the rain and the creaking of the trees as they moved against each other in the wind.

I glanced down the path too and when I looked back she was pulling a package of cigarettes and a small electric blue lighter out of her cleavage. She tapped the bottom of the pack against her hand one, two, three times and then pulled out one of the thin white sticks and stuck it in the corner of her mouth, holding it delicately between her lips as she fumbled with the lighter. When she finally had it successfully lit she pulled a long draw from it, exhaling smoke with a quiet sound of pleasure that sets my nerves tingling no matter how much I tried to will them down.

Just when I was beginning to debate with myself whether or not I should just give up and go in, it was getting to be close to 2 am now and I had a morning class, there was no real reason to watch Serenity smoke, she took one last pull, the end glowing bright red and dabbed it harshly against the lamp pole, dropping it into a puddle and then stepping quickly off the path, slipping into the dark forest with a quick glance back over her shoulder. "Catch me if you can." I leapt into the forest after her.

The rain had stopped, leaving the forest eerily quiet and the moon was bright overhead as the fog gently dissolved. I could her soft breathing echoing and the splash of puddles as she ran, always a few feet in front of me, but unseen. The forest was thick and pitch black but occasionally an open patch would allow blinding-bright moonlight to shine down.

I came into a larger clearing, the light so bright that I had to shield my eyes with my arm just to see her. She was waiting for me, her feet, legs and the bottom of her skirt flecked with dark brown frozen mud. She stood very still, her arms crossed in front of her, examining me. My breath came in gasps and I tried to as straight as possible, my chest heaving, putting my arm down and squinting at her.

"Why are you following me?" Her voice was quiet, her new pixie hair curling under her chin, dark-wet with rain.

"Favor for a friend," I grunted.

She laughed, a light tinkling laugh that had no real humor and was not her, completely alien sounding. "Yumi is so suspicious, even after everything I did for her. I was such a good friend."

I ignored that; keep it impersonal, you can do this. "What are you doing out here Serenity" Addressing her by name started a vicious clawing in my chest, I winced and coughed once, but it stayed, scratching and tearing.

"Meeting a friend." She grinned viciously.

"Who?" I asked, already knowing she wouldn't tell me anything.

She held a finger to her lips and grinned again, "classified."

She started to back away, and I went to grab her wrist but she ducked and was quickly out of reach. She glanced upwards and I resisted the urge to look up, not wanting to take my gaze from her, give her an edge over me.

Then, suddenly, darkness. A cloud had slipped over the moon and bathed everything in black nothingness so thick that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I froze, listening hard, tried to locate her.

I started when two small hands softly found my waist and stiffened as I felt her lips at my ear.

"When you asked me what I was doing out here, I'm afraid I didn't answer truthfully. I said I was meeting a friend but what I really meant was that I was losing you."

I felt her lips stretch into another sadistic grin against the flesh of my ear and started to panic as she withdrew from me, her breath teasing the hairs on the nape of my neck and her hands sliding off my hips. I didn't think she would hurt me but there was no telling with her anymore, the Serenity I knew didn't exist in reality.

Then, it was like a switch had been pulled and the moon once again bathed the clearing in bright light. I stood bewildered for a moment before realizing, she was gone.

And I had no idea how to get back.

Christ.

~X~x~

When I finally dragged myself into the cafeteria it was already 10. I had made it back to the dorm only a few minutes prior and lingered long enough to change my shirt and splash a couple palm-fulls of water on my face. My jeans were creased and muddy on the bottom hem and the knees, stiff and tight from getting wet and then drying on me. My hair was fuzzy and stiff, leaning slightly to one side instead of straight, matted at the forehead and nape by sweat. I felt disgusting and I was sure that I looked even worse than I felt.

So, I plodded my way into the dining building at 10, having already missed my 8:30 class, figuring I'd get some food and then go die in my bed for the rest of the day, since I'd missed my one Saturday class already. With my luck as soon as my head hit the pillow I'd get a text from Jeremy signaling a Xana attack.

Serenity smiled serenely at me from her table. She had a newspaper spread out in front of her on the table and she crossed her legs as she flipped the page, dropping her smile as she turned her attention to the page in front of her. Pierre elbowed past me with a large tray of food, which he plopped down loudly on the table as he sat down across from Serenity. He opened a bottle of something and in one quick motion slid the newspaper away from her and replaced it with the drink. He folded the newspaper and put it on the seat next to him as she examined the label of whatever he had put in front of her.

I grabbed some toast and a yogurt, and then pulled a bottled water from the cool depths of the cooler. I pressed the cold bottle to my forehead and let out a contented sigh as I made my way to an unoccupied table near enough to Serenity's to be able to hear her conversation.

"This is banana flavored milk."

Pierre made a grunting noise as he chewed his food.

"This is milk that is flavored so that it tastes like banana."

Pierre let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, it's banana flavored milk. It's good. Drink it."

I took the top off my yogurt and then tipped it up to my mouth and drank half. Too tired to use a spoon.

"You weren't in your room last night."

My ears perked up for Serenity's explanation.

"I didn't know you were checking up on me."

Pierre gave a noncommittal shrug that was slightly betrayed by the way he was mashing his hash browned potatoes into a mush and mumbled something that could've been, "just wanted to make sure you were ok."

"I didn't know that you had grown a uterus and were my mother now." Serenity sneered.

"I don't know why my concern for your wellbeing bothers you."

"Because what I do with my life is none of your business."

"I have every right to be concerned; if something happens to you Justin will have my ass."

I glanced over to see Serenity's mouth tightened into a straight line. I dipped some toast into the remaining yogurt and washed it down with a swig of water.

Pierre pulled a bagel from the mass of food in front of him and began to apply cream cheese to it. "Don't give me that look; I know what you're thinking 'So you only spend time with me because of Justin.' You know that's not true. Here, eat this." He finished by pushing the bagel, now complete with lox towards her.

She wrinkled her nose, "what's this pink stuff?"

"Lox."

No recognition dawned on her face.

"Lox," Pierre, said again with no reaction. "Smoked salmon. I can't believe you haven't tried this, Justin loves the stuff." She poked it, eyeing with a mixture of disgust and suspicion.

Pierre picked a half up and stuffed it into her mouth, "quit it."

Serenity muttered something around the bagel that sounded lewd. Demi chose that moment to appear with a tray topped with hot chocolate and a croissant. She didn't seem overly concerned about the glaring contest going on between the other two. "Children, let's not fight." She said, dipping the croissant into the steaming chocolate and popping it into her mouth.

Serenity ignored her and dug into to Pierre after painfully swallowing the bagel. "I'm not a child; I'm perfectly capable of feeding myself."

He spared a glare at Demi, "you, stay out of this. And Serenity if you were any less capable of keeping yourself alive you'd need a tube down your throat. Now, kill the pride for five seconds and eat the bagel like a good girl or I'll have to go get Justin out of his morning class."

She bristled, "I'm still alive aren't I? You're such a prick. Go get Justin for all I care. Suck his dick while you're at it since you love him so much. If I don't want the goddamn bagel I'm not going to eat it, even if I have to kick you're skinny ass to hell and back to get my way."

Pierre leaned forward, visibly enjoying their fight. "I love it when you talk dirty."

Serenity smiled her kindest looking smile, "I'll cut your dick off you pretentious asshole." She said in a low voice as the head of school walked by their table accompanied by Sissy.

"Bring it on, fucking bint."

"Fuck you."

Pierre grinned, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, "gladly."

"You're disgusting."

The grin grew wider, "You adore every filthy, revolting inch."

Serenity strung her bag over one shoulder, grabbed her newspaper from across the table and picked up the bagel. "Die." Taking a big bite of the bagel she turned on her heel and fled the cafeteria.

Pierre settled back into his chair with a sigh and a contented smile.

Demi finally looked up from her nearly finished breakfast, "well, that went well."

Pierre picked up his fork and dug into his breakfast again, "she ate it didn't she?"

"Mm-hm" She raised on eyebrow.

He paused for a moment, "god, she's so hot like that."

Demi put her hands over her ears, "lalalala I don't want to hear your perverted thoughts you dirty pervert."

"You're the pervert," he said without any real conviction.

"It still kind of freaks me out how you guys use fights as foreplay."

Pierre's grin was Cheshire worthy now, "what can I say? The makeup sex is just that good."

A loud crackle near me brought his eyes to meet mine. His gaze drifted down to my hands, where they rested down on the table and he let out a short bark of laughter. I looked down and realized where the crackle had come from; I had fisted the water bottle and crushed it into oblivion. I felt heat rush to my face and neck at my inability to control my emotions and at thoughts of how he'd seen and understood /everything/. Damn. I got up and threw away the rest of my food and other rubble and then ducked out of there, scurrying back to my room as fast as possible.

~X~x~

I pushed through the door to the boys bathroom with a towel around my neck, using q corner to wipe the sweat from my face, just as Odd emerged from the farthest most shower stall, one towel wrapped firmly around his waist while another rubbed at the wet and dripping cascade of hair falling over his forehead. Odd's hair curls when it's wet. It's disorientating when you're not used to it; he looks completely different.

He noticed me after a moment: staring determinedly at the floor, his mouth set in a hard line. I sighed and moved to the mirror, rubbing the towel over my damp hair and then setting it on the table next to the sink. I reached back and grabbed the bottom hem of my t-shirt and pulled it over my head, putting it with the towel. I flexed a bicep at my reflection. I'd let myself go flabby in the recent months, spending time with Yumi that should have been spent conditioning for the upcoming spring soccer season. Working out distracted my mind from thoughts of tossing my pride and going back to hr. it had only been a couple of days but I was already seeing improvement, the hard chiseled lines were returning to my body and I felt overall healthier. I met odd's eyes in the mirror; he was still standing near the shower, glaring at me from there. I blew out another sigh, looking down at my tightly fisted hands. "Listen Odd, I'm sorry about the whole...well...you know."

"No problem." he said tightly

It was obviously still a problem. I slammed my hands, palms down, on the table on either side of the sink. "Dammit Odd, you're my best friend. It sucks when you're pissed at me."

His shoulders drooped and he let out a sigh of his own. "I forgive you, I guess." He moved to the sink next to mine and pushed back his mop of hair with both hands.

"You guess?" I playfully punched his shoulder. "You're damn lonely without me."

"Ouch, Christ. Don't punch people when you've been working out, asshole." he said with a frown, ruefully rubbing his shoulder. I smiled broadly and punched him again. "What the hell? Abusive best friend."

"Don't pout, we're both single now."

"Not for long."

"Why? Did you find someone?" I asked innocently.

"I was talking about you, you big jerk."

"I have no idea what you're talking about but I don't like what you're implying." I said cheerfully.

"Yeah yeah" he grumbled. He took boxers from his pile of stuff near the lockers and pulled them on, then removed his towel. He wriggled into jeans and then dropped a purple tee over his head. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He looked exhausted. His ribs and hipbones jutted against the skin of his normally svelte torso.

"You look like shit."

He grimaced, "gee, thanks."

"Care to explain?"

"Not really."

"You should tell Yumi to go fuck herself. Stop doing her dirty work for her, she's crazed."

He frowned, "I don't tell her half the stuff I know."

"So why keep doing it?"

"It seems rude to let her take out her frustrations on Serenity directly."

"I thought you hated Serenity"

"It's not hate exactly"

I grinned; it was always fun to push him into a corner. "Then what is it?'

He turned bright red on the very tips of his ears. "Shut up."

I laughed. "Nice ears."

"SHUT. UP. Ulrich." he collected his stuff and prepared to leave, hands held firmly to each side of his head, covering his ears.

"Where are you going now?"

"WHAT?" he screamed. I motioned to him to take his hands off his ears. "What?'

"I said, 'where are you going now'?"

"Back to the room. I was up all night; I want to sleep."

"I noticed, I was wondering where you were; you missed chem."

"Yeah. I got some food and then came here because I was too dirty and gross to get in bed."

"Right. Well, have a nice nap."

"Can do. Hey, wake me up for dinner will you?"

"Sure, bye."

"See ya."

I finished stripping and made my way to the shower, pausing to turn on the radio embedded into one of the white painted, faux brick, cement walls for some music. I selected a rock station and the hopped into the shower stall nearest to me, hanging my towel on the hook outside the door.

~X~x~

At the shower stalls in the far corner of the boys' bathroom, three boys emerged from the adjacent stalls with towels wrapped around their waists.

"Are you telling me that not only was Serenity out without you last night, she also had contact with Odd?" Justin hissed loudly, barely heard over the rush of Ulrich's shower and the Metallica blaring on the other side of the room. Pierre just shrugged. "This could all turn into shit in a minute. I can't believe you just let her run off without you." Justin sighed, running a hand over his face.

"What can I say; she gave me an offer I couldn't refuse." The lewd grin that followed wilted under Justin's glare. His face morphed into an exasperated expression as he brought two fingers up to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. "She's very persuasive. She insisted on going by herself and she returned well within the 4 hour time limit I set for her. I tried to follow her but it's impossible. She's too goddamn fast and she flits through the shadows like a fucking ghost."

"Hopefully she's gotten all she needs from that godforsaken house. I don't like her going there alone. The computer sometimes uses it as a hideout for his possess-ees."

"She won't do it again. I already punished her." Pierre said, motioning to his crotch and waggling his eyebrows.'

"Dude gross"

"What? I thought you were ok with it."

"Just because I'm ok with it doesn't mean that I wanna hear about it. Keep the details to yourself man. I want to remain blissfully ignorant."

"Fine fine." He took the towel from his waist and started to dry his hair with it.

"Dude, what the hell?"

"What?" Pierre seemed honestly confused.

"What do you mean 'what?' we're in the middle of a goddamn conversation and you randomly get naked. What made you think I would be ok with that?"

Pierre shrugged. "You weren't freaking out about Yutaro and he's been naked way longer than I have."

Justin turned to find that the towel that had once been wrapped securely around Yutaro's waist was now hanging around his neck, his hands gripping each ends as he admired himself in one of the full length mirrors. "Alright, you guys are PERVERTS."

Pierre quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, "shh, he'll hear you."

Justin's shoulder slumped in defeat. Pierre peered over Justin's shoulder, "looking good Yuu-chan."

Yutaro threw him an annoyed look and he chuckled.

Justin shrugged out of Pierre's grip. "Get dressed. I want to go over to Serenity's and start working on the new data she got out of the Hermitage last night, now that she's had some time to recover from your..." he wrinkled his nose, "...punishment."

~X~x~

"I don't want to stay up late again.' Serenity whined into Justin's neck. She was curled up in his lap, arms wound around his neck with her face pressed to it, fingers playing with the short hairs at the nape of his neck.

"We're going to have to." Justin said, shifting under her a little. Her breath tickled. "We have to finish this by tomorrow or wait for at least two months, otherwise it wont be believable and I just don't think, with the way things are progressing, that we have that kind of time." He felt her lips pucker in to a pout. "Don't be like that. I'm helping aren't I? And Yutaro?"

She sighed, "can't we at least get dinner first?"

Justin grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back to examine her face with an astonished expression. "You're hungry?" She nodded, still pouty face. "Pierre will go get us something."Pierre got up from position in the swivel chair for the desk, grumbling under his breath about being treated like a manservant. Justin caught some of what he was saying and commented, "well, you are kinda. Who helps me get dressed in the morning?"

"What are you guys talking about?" Serenity yawned, snuggling back to her original position, clinging to Justin.

"Nothing, Love." Justin said, patting her on the back.

"Why don't you take a quick nap while Pierre's gone and I'll go over what we did last night with Yutaro."

"Mmkay." She said softly, her breathing already evening out.

"Poor kid." Justin said sympathetically, rubbing her back with soft, slow circles.

"She ate this morning; if she's already hungry then that means..." Yutaro commented from the foot of the bed, not looking up from his handheld as it plinked Pokemon battle music happily.

"I know," Justin said wistfully.

He pulled papers from the file folder that sat on the floor to his right, moving carefully to avoid jostling Serenity out of her well deserved slumber. He scanned them quickly, dropping each page to the carpet as he finished with it. He had a highlighter tucked behind one ear and he uncapped it to underline a mistake then stuck the blunt end between his teeth. The floor around him was covered with littered papers by the time Pierre returned with a plate of sandwiches.

"Serenity, Honey, time to get up." Justin said, shaking her gently.

She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes and grabbing an offered sandwich. Her gaze drifted to the floor and she snatched up one of the papers that had been highlighted. "This isn't wrong."

"Yes, it is."

"No it's not, they're supposed to be green."

"That's right, and that code makes them blue."

"...right." She finished her sandwich in five bites and stole Pierre's half eaten one.

Yutaro had connected all three of their laptops with a sea of wires all leading to a giant monitor that sat, looming over them, on the desk. Justin left his sandwich untouched on the tray. Yutaro nibbled the crusts off of his and then pulled it apart to lick the peanut butter side once and then the jelly side once before tossing the carcass back onto the tray.

"You're not hungry?" Serenity asked Justin as she moved from his lap to sit next to him, on the left, with her laptop.

"I ate something weird for breakfast. I don't feel like eating." Justin made a face as he reached for his own laptop.

"Something weird."

"Yeah," his nose wrinkled. "Pierre made me drink banana flavored milk."

"Me too. It's weird."

"Exactly.

"Pierre stood up abruptly. "You guys are spoiled brats." Serenity and Justin just smiled. "Well, I'm going to go try to convince Jim that we're all safe and tucked in tight in our dorm."

Justin, Pierre, and Yutaro shared a quadruple but the 4th bed was unfilled, which was probably for the best. Since their dorm building was a house remodeled in to dorms there was only 3 bathrooms for the 60-some boys that lived there. They were encouraged to go across campus to use the facilities in Serenity's dorm building, since it was one of the newly built high-rises and was therefor equipped with a boy's bathroom and a girl's bathroom on each floor. Every night, just after curfew, Jim would make his rounds through the dorms, knocking on every door and taking role call. He started on the North side of campus, so Pierre as to get back quickly if he wanted to beat Jim there.

~X~x~

The raucous applause that followed Mr. Doumas's inspiring speech about the importance of doing well in school died down, echoeing in the tall cieling of the large auditorium. There was a pause, filled with that awkward near silence of a large crown trying to be quiet, the muffled coughs, squeaking of chairs and the soft rustling noises, as the seemingly random troupe of honors and high honors students from last term were herded off the stage.

Among them were Jeremy, Serenity, Aelita, Demi and Yumi. Serenity did not look proud to be there, as others did, namely Jeremy. her face was set in a hard grimace as Yumi fumed and glared lightening bolts mixed with daggers dipped in acid and lit on fire. No one appeared to notice their strange behavior.

The head of school moved to the mic again and continued, "this term we would like to recognize an outstanding student who not only has held a consistent place in the top 20 of her class and is a superb athlete but is also a very talented computer programmer."

Mrs. Lemings, the principle's secretary caught Serenity in a death grip by her shoulders with her sparkly blue talons as she tried to sneak back in to the audience from backstage with the other honorary mention kids. This was very, very not good.

"Serenity Taylor from our 11th grade class has won the very prestigious GameRON yearly contest for an, " he paused to look at his notes. "MMORG game that she created called," his eyes went to the notes again. "Trap! The representative from GameRON is here to present Serenity with her prise, so Serenity come on up on stage here and accept it and everyone else give her a congratulatory round of applause!"

No one likes to be called randomly in front of their peers especially for something that was more of a background hobby in their life that no one really knew squinted at the bright lights that blinded her to the audience and flinched at the near deafening roar of clapping and cheering.

She took the proffered gift box with a tight smile that she knew didnt look at all pleasant while Mr. Doumas shouted in to the mic to be heard over the crowd, " expert gaming computer, one of the best in the market, worth 10,000 collars plus a contract for GameRON to produce and publish her game. It'll be up live in 5 days." She went to leave but he caught her arm with one hand. "There will be an operating demo set up in the game room for everyone to try but take care to make sure that it doesnt affect your studies."

He chuckled then patted Serenity's shoulder once, twice before she was allowed to pull away and creep off stage back in to obscurity. A few minutes later the assembly was ended and the audience dismissed.

~X~x~

Pierre collapsed on his bed. It was early evening and the assembly had ended a few hours ago. They had helped Serenity set up the demo station in the game room and then Justin and Yutaro had gone to sleep, exhausted from the all-nighter.

For all her complaining Serenity did not seem tired at all, she goaded Pierre in to coming to the dining hall with her to drink smoothies, since, she explained as they went, she had yet to miss smoothie night and was not going to start now. They had taken their smoothies back to Serenity's room and one thing had led to long Pierre found himself lying on his back on the bed, naked and completely exhausted, Serenity cuddling in to his side, equally naked.

Pierre was one of those males who prided themselves on excellent stamina, stunningly good looks, the overall ability to please all women whenever, wherever and for as long as he wanted to, as well as other, similar macho things. However, when, after a few more minutes of peaceful, limp limbed snuggling, Serenity sat up and tried to get him to do it /again/, he had had to flee, hastily excusing himself and pulling his clothes on haphazardly, almost running out the door.

He took care to order Serenity to stay in her room and had added 'alone!' to the forceful statement when she grinned like a chesire cat. He assured her that he would go take a short nap and have a Gatorade (or seven) and be back shortly.

Justin looked up from his own bed, across the room, where he was laying on his back, his legs crossed and his arms behind his head, obviously not asleep. "Why are you here?"

"This is my room." Pierre sighed and moved his hand sluggishly towards the Gatorade of life that was just out of reach on his nightstand.

"Where's Serenity?" He sounded impatient.

"In her room. I needed a break."

"You should go back. She's going to get into trouble."

"I'm going in a minute." Pierre's fingertips just brushed the Gatorade bottle, pushing it further away. "Damn."

Justin smirked. "I've never known you to be unable to... perform."

Pierre sat up quickly and grabbed the bottle, opening it non too gently. "Shut up. You don't know what it's like. Her hormone suppressors are nonexistent."

Justin stuck a hand in his pocket and the packet crinkled as he extracted it. There was one capsule left. "Do you want it now or would you rather save it?"

"It's your decision."

His smirk grew wider as he tossed it to Pierre who caught it one-handed. "I'll leave it up to you, since you have to deal with the consequences of any action or non-action."

Pierre sighed and got up to leave. Justin's voice stopped him. "Can you check to see if Yutaro's alive before you leave? He hasn't moved in a while..."

Pierre poked the immobile lump on the bunk above his and went to poke again when there was no movement but a hand snaked out and grabbed his wrist before his finger could make contact. Pierre pulled away, "he's alive," then headed out the door, back to Serenity. He opened his palm to contemplate the lone blue pill there, then closed it again and sighed. "Damn it."

~X~x~

Seven days without sleep had rendered his decision process into nothing; he was  
acting purely on subconscious desires and instincts. She knew this and even so,  
she let him push her into a corner in the shadowy hallway, taunted him right  
back, rose to all his bait. It was not like her.

She was out of her room, though Pierre had told her to stay, wandering the halls, smoking, not worried about getting caught. Not like her. She had just lit a fresh cigarette when he cornered her and he took it out of her fingers and examined it. "How do you even get into this shit huh? You can't inhale on your first time…what do you do then?"

She grinned and pushed him hard so that she was the one pinning him to the wall. This was not right. "I'll show you just how I learned." She took the white stick from him and inhaled deeply from it. She brought her face in close to his, lips almost touching and blew the smoke out gently into his only available oxygen. What was she doing? He had no  
choice to inhale. The smoke burned at his lungs but she stared hard into his eyes and he found he could easily suppress the urge to cough. Her dark eyes  
didn't leave his as she took another drag and blew smoke at him again. He inhaled eagerly this time, the burn was something he had already come to enjoy, look forward to.

She grinned again, seeing the look of longing in his eyes. "See? 'Ts not so bad." She took a step back and offered the rest of the burning stick to him. He took it from her and dropped it to the ground, quickly grinding it with his heel and throwing her back against the wall in a fast motion that left her head spinning. This is not supposed to happen. This is wrong.

He leaned in close to her face, she could smell the smoke on his breath, combined with bubblegum and that pure Odd smell. "What a disgusting habit." His lips captured hers in a rough bruising kiss. This is not how things are supposed to be.

She pushed back, just as fierce; one hand rising to his chest to rest over his heart. She couldn't help herself. The fluttering under her fingertips made her grin under his mouth and he  
pulled back with an irritated expression.

Her other hand rose to tickle the back of his neck and wind her fingers into the hair at the nape. "Your hearts giving you away Love; I thought you had no feelings for me." She shouldn't be saying these things, shouldn't even be here.

"Of course I have feelings for you," her heart quickened as he leaned in close to her ear, feeling his breathe dance across it and a ghost of lips moving as he spoke. "I fucking hate you." Stop. Please.

"Oh yeah?" His own ear was in reach, she dragged a tongue across his neck over his pulse point then grabbed the lobe in her teeth, "prove it." Please. I don't want to anymore.

His hands came up quickly to the side of her face to pull her to him in that same painful kiss that ended with him biting down hard on her lower lip. She held back a noise that might've been a moan as he pulled back, lips red with her blood. The hand tangled in his hair pulled back harshly to tilt his head up, exposing more of his neck to her and the hand over his heart came up to trail the first two fingers through the red paint on his lips, coloring his chin and down over his pale neck. She pulled his hair to the left, bringing his head with it and fastened her lips to the spot right under his ear. Couldn't control herself, wishing she could stop but wanting more.

His fingers dug into her hips painfully and she pulled him back for another kiss, tasting her own blood as his tongue dug roughly into her soft mouth, claiming. The hand that had moved back to his heart wormed its way under his shirt from below and nails scraped down his chest, as she swallowed his hiss of pain that turned into a yelped moan as the hand moved back up to find a nipple and tweak it harshly. This is wrong, not how it should be. Stop stop stop.

Strong hands pushed them apart and Pierre pulled her with him away from Odd. "We're going now, you should get some sleep Delarobbia." He caught her earlobe in his teeth, "what are you thinking provoking him in that state? Silly girl." He whispered to her, nibbling on the appendage shortly before releasing it and intertwining his fingers with hers.

She glanced back at Odd, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand; he looked so lonely, her heart felt icy.

"Here, take your last vitamin. Justin's orders." Pierre said when they rounded the corner. He extended his open palm to picked up the small, electric blue pill with two fingers and then paused to look at him.

"I thought he said that I didn't need to take the last one."

Pierre shrugged. "I guess he changed his mind. Do you need water?"She shook her head and quickly popped the pill to the back of her throat and swallowed dry.

~X~x~  
I arrived last to this impromptu meeting in the game room, after receiving Jeremy's emergency text message. Ulrich and Yumi were taking great care not to look at each other.

Ulrich noticed me first. "You look weird."

"Weird how?" I muttered.

"Sexually frustrated weird and also, kind of OMGI'VEJUSTSEENAGHOST weird."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I huffed.

"Sure you don't." He winked at me.

Yumi rolled her eyes and sighed loudly as I sputtered with indignation.

Jeremy caught our attention from the other side of the game room, waving frantically. He was third in line for the new console that held Serenity's sauntered over and tried to look like we weren't cutting the rest of the line by joining Jeremy and Aelita, who was in the place behind him.

"What's up Einstein? I don't think you having a hardon for new technology really counts as an emergency." I grinned with no real humor.

His face colored. "Aelita was curious about what Serenity had created so she came here to check it out right after the assembly."

"I was the second person to play it. I called Jeremy right after." She said.

"Unfortunately, by the time I had gotten here, the line was quite long."

"Cut to the chase. Why are we here?" Yumi said, crossing her arms and trying not to look frustrated.

"You all need to see this." He said, craning his neck to see how many more people were left in the line in front of him.

The twenty, tension-filled minutes were finally over. We had finally reached the game. Jeremy took the controller and we all crowded around the screen to see. As the first screen image filtered in we all flew into a panic.

"What the hell?" slid past my lips softly before I could stop it.

I heard Yumi stifle a comment of her own behind me while Ulrich said, sadly, at my shoulder, "Oh no."

~X~x~

Don't hate the cliffhanger. Cliffhangers are fun, like clowns...clowns aren't really that fun are they? Anyway, hopefully you enjoyed this latest installment and it was long enough to almost excuse me not updating for a year? XD If you feel like trying to catch the plot monster, i.e. guessing the ending, feel free to do so in comments or pms. I'd love to hear your ideas. Until next time. ~Katie


	29. Chasing the Chip

I really have no idea how this chapter is going to turn out. XD Now that's what you call good planning. Here's hoping you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Do Not Own

Dedication: Any readers who have commented or favorited or put this story in their alerts. I'm really thankful that there are people out there who enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it, even though I don't get much time to anymore.

* * *

The game was an exact copy of Lyoko, the original Lyoko, before sections had started getting deleted. It was all there from the krabs to the kankrelats, not the smallest flaw to be seen. The group recoiled from the booth like it was poisoned.

"What the fuck is that?" Odd hissed as they huddled close in a forgotten corner of the game room.

"Did she make a new Xana too?" Yumi asked, sounding frightened.

"Everyone calm down." Jeremy took a deep breath as though to calm his own nerves. "The system seems to be operating merely as a copy. There doesn't appear to be a Xana figure at all within this Lyoko: all the monsters are on automatic respawn. As to what purpose this serves, I honestly have no idea."

"Let's go ask the bitch." Yumi said spitefully.

"Yumi, please, there's no need for that kind of language."

"Oh, I'm sorry Saint Ulrich. How callous of me to insult her when you and her are all fucking chummy."

Ulrich just rolled his eyes which caused Yumi to fume even more.

Jeremy cleared his throat, "that aside. I think it would be wise to go and question Serenity's intent." Yumi opened her mouth to say something snide but he continued without pausing. "It may be that this is completely innocent. We can't conclude malice or ill intent without evidence." With that he led the way out of the game room and headed for the dorm building, Aelita's hand clasped in his and the rest following behind.

* * *

Justin leaned back against Serenity's door his head banging gently against it with soft thumps. He was frustrated but there was no need to injure his intelligence over it. That wouldn't help matters at all.

Things had taken a turn for the worst with Serenity. Pierre had called him right after finding her almost sexually assaulting Dellarobbia. That wouldn't do. He had hoped that she would come out of the hypnotism with no side effects but it seemed that was too optimistic for the situation. They were going to have to reinstate her. It was going to be messy and she wasn't going to like it. Just like the first time. The suppressors were gone so it was their only option.

There was nothing he could do now except wait for Pierre to return with her. He had started out waiting inside her room with Yutaro but the silence was almost deafening as Yutaro meditated. He was forced to go outside for his own sanity. The thoughts spun around inside his head until they were jumbled and useless. The stress of the situation was getting to him. He hoped they were nearing the conclusion on this tale. Serenity wouldn't last much longer without serious interference. He just wanted to take her home and live quietly and safely together. But he didn't think that would ever really be an option. In the end he believed that it just wasn't fated for Serenity and him to have a peaceful life.

He had never had a feeling of being "home", that comfortable and safe feeling that everyone seemed to have somewhere. He was glad that at least in sacrificing himself Serenity would be able to have that. He wished that he hadn't caught her up in all of this. She was suffering. He saw it every day, though she tried not to let it show. It tore at his insides. All he wanted to do was protect her.

There was movement down the hall and he stopped his banging, hoping it would be Pierre only to find it was the regional troop of heroes, with Jeremy in the lead. They stopped in front of him and looked at him expectantly.

"Can I help you with something?" He said, leaning his head back and looking at the ceiling.

"Where is Serenity? We need to speak with her." Jeremy said.

"I'm afraid she's not available right now. You should come back later."

"Don't lie for her. Just let us through." Yumi said angrily

Justin shot a glare at her and she seemed to wilt, "she's not in any condition for visitors. Please come back tomorrow."

"What's wrong with her?" Odd asked, looking slightly guilty.

"She's sleeping."

Just then Pierre and Serenity came down the hallway. She leaned heavily on Pierre, looking very pale.

Justin pulled something oblong and metallic from his pocket, hiding it in his closed fist and strode forward to meet them. "Do you have her?" he asked Pierre, who nodded firmly.

Justin opened his hand and pressed the device within onto the exposed skin between Serenity's shirt and jeans, over her hip bone. She went limp immediately and Pierre swung her up gently into his arms.

"What the hell is going on here? What did you just do to her?" Ulrich asked angrily.

"There's no need to get all righteous on us. She just needs her medicine. She'll be fine. Now scram kiddies, its past your bedtime." Pierre said as he carried Serenity through the door to her room while Yutaro held it open. Justin followed and then Yutaro closed it in the gang's face with a sharp snap.

* * *

Serenity sat straight backed on the edge of her bed. Justin sat next to her with her hand in his lap, his thumb firmly over her wrist and his eyes on the clock on the wall. Yutaro and Pierre watched from their positions near her desk and against the door.

"How do you feel?" Justin murmured, eyes never leaving the clock as he counted her heartbeats.

"Fine." Serenity said, her face and voice calm.

"Any dizziness?"

"None at all."

"Nausea?"

"No. I feel fine, honestly." Justin felt her start and glanced up to find her looking confused as tears ran down her face.

She looked at him, panicked and he took her in his arms; her pulse was too erratic to get a good reading anyway. "It's alright. You don't have to fight it." He said softly in her ear, rubbing her back.

She let out a surprised sob, "what's happening to me?"

"Your brain needs some time to adjust to the new binds on it. Just breathe. You're going to be fine. I promise." He knew exactly what she was feeling and was glad that he was here to be with her. There had been no one to hold him when it was his mind getting restricted.

He slowly laid her back on the bed, catching a spare blanket thrown by Pierre who had taken it from the closet, and tucked it tightly around her. Her breathing was becoming more and more labored as she fought against her mental bonds. She would effectively kill herself if she kept this up.

Justin swept her hair away from her eyes. "You need to calm down. Just let your mind go. Concentrate on your breathing. Nothing else."

"I can't! It hurts! Please, make it stop!" She sobbed, her fingers gripping the blankets in a death grip as her eyes clamped tight against the mental agony tearing through her consciousness.

Justin put his hands firmly on her shoulders, "just relax." His mouth hardened into a thin line.

Pierre spoke up from his position near the door, "isn't there anything we can do?"

"If she doesn't do it herself we'll have the same problem as the last time. She'll come out of it before it's time." Justin snapped, "I don't want to have to do this again. The symptoms get worse every time. I don't know if she'll survive another session."

Serenity went very still on the bed, her breath caught in her throat. Her back arched on the bed and all of her muscled tensed, her mouth open in a silent scream as blood dripped from her eyes and nose.

"Christ," Justin cursed loudly as her fought to hold her writhing form to the bed. "Yutaro, get over here. Put her under!"

Yutaro rushed over and put his fingertips on both sides of her neck, then paused. He hesitated; looking at her distressed face.

"Yutaro, now." Justin growled from his strenuous position as he tried to hold down her kicking limbs.

Yutaro pressed his fingers into her neck firmly, withdrawing them as soon as she went limp. In a flash he found himself being pushed roughly against the bedroom wall next to the door.

Justin's face was livid, his teeth clenched and his eyes flashing. His grip on Yutaro's neck tightened fractionally with each passing second. "Don't ever question my orders again. You won't live to regret it." Justin hissed when Yutaro met his eyes.

Yutaro nodded firmly and said as best he could with his small amount of oxygen, "It won't happen again, Sergeant."

Justin released him and he slid down the wall into a crumbled heap. "See that it doesn't." He returned to Serenity's bed, where she now slept peacefully, and carefully sat at the foot, looking at her face, his mind not entirely present. "You two," Pierre and Yutaro straightened. "Take a walk. She'll be out for some time." They left without a word, closing the door quietly behind them.

Justin let his hands cover his face and sighed. If only he could follow his own orders.

* * *

It was surprisingly nice out for the beginning of March. There was only a light dusting of frost on the ground that left the vegetation crispy and the dirt rigid and unforgiving. The temperature maintained throughout the day was such that the frost never melted but nonetheless two students could be found lounging in the prickly grass of the quad with only light jackets. They had hats, scarves, and gloves as well to keep out the creeping cold.

Justin was stretched out on his back, one arm behind his head and the other wrapped around Serenity, who reclined against him, lazily tracing shapes on his chest with one finger.

Aelita could see them from her position near the gate. She was seeing Jeremy off. He was the last one of their group to leave for the four day weekend.

"I could stay." He offered for the billionth time.

"Don't be ridiculous. You never see your family; you need to spend some time with them."

"I don't want to leave you alone here."

"There are plenty of people around. I won't be lonely."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"Xana just attacked on Thursday. We have a couple days before he gets enough strength to do it again and even if he does manage it somehow before you get back; Yumi's right around the corner and Ulrich's only an hour away by plane. If it lasts long enough Odd can get on a plane too. You can be here in 30 minutes if anything goes wrong. Stop worrying."

"Come with me." Jeremy asked for the seventh time in the last 20 minutes; this time with renewed fervor. He grabbed her hands in his and looked her in the eye.

Aelita kissed him softly on the nose and then pushed him towards the car where his parents were waiting. "Someone has to stay, you know that. It makes sense that it's me. I have no family to spend time with." She said the last part so softly that she didn't think Jeremy could hear it.

He sighed loudly and his shoulders slumped in defeat. He climbed into the backseat of the car, pausing to say, "I'll call you as soon as I get there." She nodded and waved and smiled until he was out of sight, then let her face reflect how gloomy she really was.

She turned from the gate and walked back towards main campus, not sure exactly where she was headed. She slowed as she got closer to Serenity and Justin.

Serenity looked up at her as she paused beside them. "Poor Aelita, did they leave the princess alone in the castle to fight the dragon by herself. What horrible knights."

"They didn't have a choice. It's only four days. I can take care of myself." Aelita snapped with such conviction that Serenity just chuckled and said, "Okay."

Aelita restarted her march to nowhere and paused again when Justin spoke up. "We'll be around, if you get lonely." She could tell without looking that he was smirking.

She kept walking. She supposed she should have tried to get more information about Trap! out of Serenity but the gang had been trying for just over a week now and all they ever got for their efforts were cryptic answers about knowing its true purpose in due time. Which was entirely unhelpful. She ducked into the cafeteria, eager to escape the cold air.

Justin watched her walk away, back ramrod straight. She would come to them before the weekend was over; he was sure of it. He shifted under Serenity. "Are you cold?"

"I dunno." She said offhandedly, nuzzling into his chest and curling around him tighter.

"Give me your hand." He removed her glove and his own and pressed their fingers together. Hers were like ice. "Jesus, you're freezing. We're going inside. Come on." He replaced her glove and pulled her up, taking her hand in his and pulling her towards the dormitory. She followed him without complaint, moving gracefully next to him. "What do you want to do today?"

"Did you have something in mind?"

"I have to prepare for Saturday but I don't think it will take all of today."

She shifted her hand within his, "what's on Saturday?"

"We're looking at your chip, seeing if something can't be done about it."

"I remember you mentioning that. Why Saturday?"

"All the cards will be in place by then."

"I see."

They continued to the dormitory in silence, hands gripping tightly.

* * *

_Aelita,_

_I'll be destroying Serenity's chip today. Since she now shares your virus I'm not sure how it will affect you and so request your presence for your own safety. 15:00 in the factory._

_JT_

The note had been pinned to one of her sweatshirts when she took her clothes out of the dryer. She had been putting off her laundry for a few weeks and with lack of anything better to do with another 2 days of lonely vacation looming in her future she set herself to the task. While she waited for her clothes to dry she had gone and gotten a drink in the cafeteria. She had only been gone for a few minutes, meaning they had to have been watching her to be able to slip in the note in that small period of absence.

She gnawed on her lip, a nervous habit she had picked up somewhere, certainly not something acquired in Lyoko, wondering if she should call Jeremy. He would call everyone else and they would all come racing back and stop Justin and the others from doing whatever they were doing. They didn't trust them. Aelita wasn't sure she much did either but it was hard to forget the long lonely nights on Lyoko spent in Serenity's comforting company, long after Jeremy had gone to bed. Serenity didn't deserve to have the constant threat of Xana's control hanging over her head, no one did.

They didn't have to tell her of their actions. It wouldn't affect what they were trying to accomplish if she remained oblivious. They obviously cared at least something for her, even if that was merely a shadow originating from her and Serenity's shared virus.

She stuffed her clothes into her laundry basket and tugged it back to her room without looking. Her phone rang as she reached for her keys.

"Hello?"

"Aelita, how are you? How's everything?"

Jeremy sounded worried. Aelita worried that he could somehow read her mind, even in his absence. "Everything is fine. I'm fine. Just doing some laundry. No movement from Xana whatsoever."

He let out a sigh. "I just got this feeling that something was wrong. I'm glad that you're ok."

She unlocked her door and then started haphazardly stuffing clothes into drawers, not bothering to fold anything. "You need to stop worrying before you make yourself sick." She laughed lightly. "I'm glad to hear your voice though. I miss you. How is your family? Are you enjoying your vacation?"

"I can't help worrying about you. You're my most special person." She could practically hear his blushing. "I miss you too. My family is fine…" He went on to tell a story about his father accidently knocking the chicken during dinner off the table with his elbow while telling a story and getting overly excited with his arm movements. She smiled softly.

She let him finish his retelling and then said softly, "Jeremy? I'm going to let you go now. I want to go get some food and then try to get Serenity alone to ask her about the game."

"Ok, I'll let you go eat. Be careful please. Maybe you should just wait until I get back."

"I'll be fine. I won't do anything to put myself into danger."

"I guess I can't stop you then. Alright well, goodbye Aelita."

"Goodbye Jeremy. Love you."

Again the blush. "L-love you too." She smiled again and then closed the phone.

She hated to lie to him but this was more important. She had faith in Serenity and if she trusted her brother and his friends than Aelita would too. She locked the door behind her and set off for the factory, not having much time.

* * *

Justin sat in the chair usually occupied by Jeremy. His hands flew across the keyboard as well as the touch screens that Yutaro had added specifically for his use, dragging things and tapping. Nobody said a word as he worked. Aelita sat, cross-legged in the corner, Serenity stood behind Justin, watching the screen and Pierre and Yutaro pulled wires out of a panel they had taken out of the wall, labeling them as they went. For the most part, Aelita's presence went unacknowledged, coming to attention only once, when she had first arrived and Justin had barked at her, without looking up from his work, "What's Jeremy's passcode?"

Yutaro and Pierre finished with the wires and Pierre moved to the elevator. Aelita caught sight of him pressing the scanner room button before the doors slammed shut.

Justin paused in his typing and used both hands on the touch screens for a moment. "Where are my notes?" He looked over his shoulder at Serenity.

She held out her arm, which was covered in ink.

"Ok," he said after a moment of examining. "That should be all I need from you. Prepare yourself."

She let Yutaro lead her over to sit against the wall under the open panel and remained completely relaxed as he knelt and unbuttoned her shirt, removing and folding it before placing it to the side. Aelita couldn't help but stare at the folded white men's button up, flicking her eyes between it and Serenity's exposed skin. Justin's scribbling continued all over both arms up over the shoulders and looked to continue over her back. Serenity just leaned peacefully against the wall with her eyes on Justin.

Yutaro crossed the room to pull a large medical kit from his bag and then knelt by Serenity once more. Her eyes opened and caught Aelita's. "Did you have something to ask me? Come here."

Aelita took one look at Yutaro donning rubber gloves and pulling a prepackaged scalpel from the kit, swallowed painfully and then went over to sit face Serenity.

Yutaro had her lean forward, away from him and then Aelita couldn't see what he was doing because it was blocked by Serenity's head. She didn't appear to be in pain but Aelita saw that when Yutaro drew away for a second that his fingers were stained with blood.

"Well, what was the question?" Serenity prompted and Aelita was sure she must have been numbed at some point because she didn't even flinch, her body remained perfectly relaxed.

"Why did you create that game? What is its purpose?"

Serenity smiled dreamily and the look was alien on her, turned her face into a stranger's. "You wouldn't have paid any attention to me otherwise."

Aelita was taken aback. "That's the only reason? – To get our attention?"

"It's for practice too, since I can't go on the real Lyoko anymore." She sighed. "And even though you wouldn't let Justin and the others help you we wanted to be ready. Hopefully that will change today though."

"You couldn't go on Lyoko? We're not here all the time, you could have managed."

"Xana would just take me again. The chip with the virus gives him complete control in Lyoko." She sighed and pouted and Aelita looked at her like she was crazy. "I'll be glad to be rid of it, it itches."

Yutaro chuckled darkly. "Liar."

She pouted further. "It does."

"You don't have any feeling back here. You wouldn't know if it did itch."

"It's a mental itch. Cause it's in my brain." She grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm almost done back here. Once Pierre is ready I'll hook you up and Justin will take it from there."

Aelita quirked an eyebrow at her, "you don't have any feeling?"

Serenity hummed softly. "Yeah, the chip is paced right at the base of my skull near my spinal cord; they permanently killed the nerves back there to prevent residual pain and speed up healing time after the operation. That way my body wouldn't reject it as much. Here, listen." She tilted her head towards her shoulder and it made several loud popping noises. "I can't feel that at all."

"That sounds dangerous."

"It's safer than if they tried to do it now-a-days."

Aelita fell silent at that, confused.

"Serenity, control yourself," Justin said tersely through gritted teeth.

"Yessir," she said brightly.

"Okay, little shock coming." Yutaro said lowly as he carefully pulled wires apart and attached them to clamps.

Aelita gaped. "Is that really safe?"

Yutaro didn't look up from his fingers working. "Don't worry, these aren't power cables. She won't get electrocuted. Not enough to do any damage anyway."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "Where's Pierre? He's slow."

"And you're demanding and impatient," Pierre said loftily as he exited the newly arrived elevator. Yutaro swiftly finished wrapping the wires around the clamps and then bent to quickly attach them to Serenity. From where Aelita was sitting it looked like he was pushing them into the cut he'd made. She grimaced.

For her part, Serenity stayed still and relaxed, fingers twitching where her hands rested limply on her thighs. Pierre grabbed a large, black, plastic case with handles and dragged it over to where Serenity and Aelita were sitting. He pushed the latches on the case open and flung the lid back to reveal a myriad of glass-screened devices that looked to be for monitoring or measuring. He switched placed with Yutaro and started digging through the case. He pulled a pair of wire clippers from the depths and stuffed them into his back pocket then bent to keep rummaging. Yutaro rolled his bloodied gloves off in a professional, obviously practiced motion, threw them into the garbage and then took Aelita by the hand, drawing her off the floor and onto her feet.

"Please come to the other side of the room for this part. I will be monitoring your vitals to make sure this has no negative effect on you," he said, leading her away from Serenity and Pierre, to the opposite side of the room from Justin. Aelita let herself be lead, slightly speechless at hearing that amount of speech from the normally mute boy. She realized with a start that she had never heard his voice before today.

He sat her down on a plush cushion that seemed to be placed there for that purpose and took her wrist, looking at his wristwatch and obviously counting her heartbeats.

"Is everything set?" Justin said to the room, still typing and not looking up from the screens in front of him.

"Just waiting on you, boss," Pierre said from his spot, having attached one of the devices from the case to the bundle of wires near to the wall where they emerged from. He was tapping the glass impatiently and squinting at the reading.

"I have acquired a base sample of both subjects," Yutaro said.

"On three then." Justin sat back in the chair, cracking his neck and then his knuckles and then placing his fingers on the keyboard.

"One... Two... Three."

On three he hit a button and Aelita could hear Xana screeching in frustration in her head before a bright light overtook her sight and then doused her in overwhelming darkness.

When she woke her head was pillowed on Yutaro's lap and he had his fingers to her neck, counting her pulse out loud. She sat up quickly, brushing imaginary dust off the shoulder of her dress in embarrassment. Yutaro reached over and patted her head lightly. "You'll be just fine."

Pierre was cradling Serenity's limp form in his lap, her face pressed to his neck as Justin probed the wound at the base of her skull.

"Looks like a success. Only one way to tell for sure though. Get her to the scanners." He turned to Aelita. "You coming?" She nodded slowly. He walked over to the computer station and pulled Jeremy's book of codes from the hidden spot under the chair. He propped it open on the desk and started flipping through, scanning the pages.

"Hey! That's private," Aelita said, protesting.

He grinned at her, "If he didn't want me to read it then he should have hid it better." He paused, re-reading a code more closely then made a disproving noise. "Tsk, so sloppy."

Aelita sniffed. "Hmph, as if you could do any better."

The grin grew larger and even more chesire-like. "Of course I can. Who do you think has been replacing all the sectors you keep losing, huh?"

Her mouth dropped open in shock, "that was you?"

His grin slid off his face quickly and his brow furrowed into a frown. "Who in the hell did you think it was?"

"Xana..." She trailed off, an embarrassed flush burning her cheeks as he stared at her like she was the world's dumbest citizen.

His eyebrow lifted. "You're telling me that you're group automatically assumed my work was Xana just because they didn't know who it was?"

She didn't reply, just flushed darker.

He continued, "Even though Xana has made it clear that he wants to escape Lyoko into the internet by deleting all of the sectors. You assumed it was him even though the work was completely contrary to his clear set goals."

"We thought he needed the extra towers for something."

"Jesus Christ. Y'all are a whole new breed of naivety."

Pierre rolled his eyes. "Who the fuck cares what they thought? Lets just go already." He had Serenity's limp form slung over one shoulder and was already in the elevator. Yutaro was leaning impassively against the door, keeping it from closing.

"Fine fine." He pulled a pen from somewhere on his person and scratched out some code, then rewrote something in the margin. Grin firmly in place again he snapped the book shut and slid it back under the chair where he found it. He tapped a few windows forward and started some codes running on the touch screens then entered the elevator, pulling Aelita with him.

"While I've got you here, let's talk about your teams methods on Lyoko." The grin seemed forced and Aelita shuddered as the doors to the elevator snapped shut, sealing her in, with no where to run."I've got a few pointers for you."

* * *

Serenity reached for the knob on the door to Chem and suddenly the door slammed open, a sobbing Sissy with patches of burnt hair sticking up much shorter than the rest narrowly missing her as she ran down the hallway with her hands over her face, despite the teacher's protests. Demi poked her head out of the doorway and called down the hall, "I'm really sorry Sissy! I had no idea it would do that! I hope your hair is ok!"

She let the apologetic look on her face fall and grinned a little before catching sight of Serenity. "Oh, hullo there. Where've you been lately? Haven't seen you in forever!" She quickly pulled Serenity into a hug and then pulled her by the wrist into the classroom.

Serenity apologized to the teacher for being late as they passed and then allowed Demi to lead her over to their usual worktable. "I had to partner with Sissy." She made a face.

"Sorry. I've been... busy."

"That's ok. I figured you were working on the game thing you won and dealing with the aftermath. How awkward was that whole ordeal, seriously. I thought you were going to pass out from stage fright." She elbowed Serenity gently.

"It's been a lot of work." Serenity admitted. "But if the game sells well I should get some money so I suppose it'll be worth it." She shrugged and then quickly turned the conversation away from herself. "So, how's it going with Matt and everything?"

"Hm? Oh, I dunno. We weren't ever really super serious or anything and he's been super busy lately so we haven't been able to find time to hang out." She pouted. "Everybody's busy but me. I need to get more hobbies."

"Being busy isn't really that fun. Enjoy your free time."

"I suppose. Let's see, what did you miss?" She tapped her finger to her chin in contemplation. "Yumi and Ulrich broke up."

"For real this time?"

"I think so. It's lasted longer than any of their other fights before."

"You want them to be broken up so you can pursue Ulrich without guilt."

She smacked Serenity on the arm, blushing slightly. "Tact, you need to learn it."

"Such things are useless niceties. You're just mad because I'm right."

"I refuse to talk about this."

Serenity looked at the clock on the wall over the blackboard and sighed.

"Want to go to lunch together after this," Demi asked.

"I can't. I've got tons of work to make up." Serenity made sure to look apologetic.

"Well, make sure you do it all so we can hang out later this week."

"I'll try my best," Serenity promised, standing and filing out of the door with the other students as the bell rang.

"I'll see you later."

"Bye," Demi waved.

Serenity headed in the opposite direction of the rest of the students and slowly made her way to the factory.

* * *

Okay, this is more than 5k words now, so I'm posting it, even though I didn't get as far, plot-wise as I'd hoped to. I've already made you all wait more than a year so it's only fair. My general rule is to post at 5k so I'm sticking to it.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the plot/ fixing of plot holes I tried to sneak in. The next chapter will have even more plot and fixing of plot holes. It will definitely not be out until after November as I am once again attempting NaNoWriMo this year and so will have no time for this. I'll try not to let this sit for another year but no promises.

I look forward to seeing you all next time.

Thanks for reading and sticking with me.

Love, Katie


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